--- source: thedugout.football generated: 2026-09-20T15:14:51.243Z last_updated: 2026-09-20T03:30:00+00:00 data_provider: API-Football canonical: https://thedugout.football/clubs/manchester-united/news/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWFuY2hlc3RlcmV2ZW5pbmduZXdzLmNvLnVrL3Nwb3J0L2Zvb3RiYWxsL2hvdy1taWNoYWVsLWNhcnJpY2stYWRkcmVzc2luZy1tYW5jaGVzdGVyLTM0NjM4MDQz --- # How Carrick is addressing Man United's leaky defence - 'Need to improve' - **Source:** - **Published:** 20 Sept - **Club:** Manchester United - **Original URL:** https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/how-michael-carrick-addressing-manchester-34638043 Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven were selected to start at centre-back in the Carabao Cup third round clash, but they both struggled and looked inexperienced against a Brighton side who carved out plenty of chances. Just five months ago, Carrick faced a question at a press conference about the pair being the club's future. Yet during Friday's press conference, he was asked about the pair's role in an unacceptable 3-2 defeat. Get the best United news, updates and analysis straight to your Inbox courtesy of the Manchester Evening News! To get it, it's a simple one-two punch. United have conceded 10 goals in six games, recording their only clean sheet of the season against Sabah in the Champions League. "It's certainly not the start we wanted, in that respect," Carrick admitted. "We need to improve, no doubt, as a team collectively. It's not just a backline or certainly a goalkeeper, it's a collective thing, so yeah, we definitely need to improve that." Carrick made it clear that he was reluctant to go into individual performances, but it was put to him that Yoro and Heaven struggled against Brighton. So could their performances simply be put down to the fact that young players must go through peaks and troughs? "I thought they started really well, actually, in the game," Carrick said. "I thought we started really well, so it's not about them. I think they'll learn from different experiences and they've done particularly well as well and they're in a really good spot, you know, two young players that have got really good futures. "So, unfortunately, you go through times in football, and you have some good spells, and sometimes you learn a lot from the things that didn't go so well, but I wouldn't isolate them at all from the other night." Carrick's answer on the pair was further proof - although it was not needed - that he is the antithesis of Ruben Amorim, who infamously said that Benjamin Sesko was "struggling" and that he could sense "anxiety" from Patrick Dorgu when he was on the ball. Amorim was not afraid to speak his mind during press conferences, for better or worse, but Carrick's disarming nature has meant that soap operas are no longer played out in the media. Carrick is staying calm because he believes in United's defensive options. He also knows that coaching can make a difference. United don't have as much time on the grass as the schedule has returned to normal this term, but sources have confirmed that plenty of individual work with players is still going on when possible. Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans, two former defenders, naturally do the bulk of individual coaching with United's defenders, but Carrick is in charge of the tactical 'game plan' element of training sessions. That means Carrick decides what the defence must do to improve in training. Woodgate is a trusted advisor - the pair worked together at Middlesbrough - and provides defensive pointers during a session. "They have got some really good coaches that have lived it and understand the position," Carrick said on Friday. Woodgate knows what Heaven and Yoro are going through as young defenders. He moved to Leeds when he was 16 and established himself as one of the country's most promising centre-backs before his transfer to Newcastle. Leeds sold a then-23-year-old Woodgate for £9million, a large sum in 2003. Yoro also commanded a large fee (£52.2m with £6.7m in potential add-ons) when he joined United from French club Lille aged just 18. "Leny's got a big future ahead of him," Carrick said. "He's learning, and sometimes learning live in the moment, sometimes it's tough, other times he's done particularly well, so we keep developing, we keep learning, he's in a good place and he's got a big future." Yoro is now in his third season at Old Trafford, but Carrick explained that his development cannot be rushed, reiterating: "He's 20, Leny, you know, and again in context, he's got a fantastic future ahead of him and a lot of potential, and he's learning, he's developing. "To be at this club and play as a centre-back at such a young age is a challenging position. It's one that he can do, for sure, it's one that Ayden can do, for sure, but there's no cut-off point. "Some players progress and find when they're 18 they're in the peak... not peak, but they're at that level where they can really perform. Some players like Leny have shown that they can perform. "I've got no worries for Leny, I think he does a lot of really good things and he's part of learning, sometimes it might be 20, sometimes you see players 22, 23, 24 where they start developing, so there's definitely no cut-off point. "He's just got to keep progressing and moving in the right direction, wanting to learn, keep improving, getting more opportunities. He's doing a lot of good things. We've got a lot of belief in Leny, for sure." Carrick would take any type of win against Fulham today, but keeping a clean sheet to claim a victory would provide a timely boost.