Michael Carrick admitted the feeling of defeat was a painful one after his flawless start as Manchester United manager came to a shuddering halt with a dramatic 2-1 loss to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park on Wednesday night.

The result, which severely damages United’s pursuit of a top-four finish and a return to Champions League football, was decided by a 90th-minute strike from home substitute William Osula.

The young forward capitalised on a defensive lapse to snatch all three points for a Newcastle side that had played the entire second half with ten men following Fabian Schär’s first-half red card.

Reflecting on the nature of the loss, Carrick did not hide his disappointment.

He conceded that seeing his team’s unbeaten record shattered in such circumstances was a difficult outcome to process.

“Of course, it stings. There is no point pretending otherwise,” Carrick said.

“To come to a place like this, play against a team down to ten men for 45 minutes, and leave with nothing is a tough pill to swallow.”

The defeat brings a definitive end to Carrick’s remarkable resurgence since taking the reins at Old Trafford in January.

Having meticulously rebuilt the team’s confidence and form, the United boss had overseen six victories and a draw in his seven league games in charge.

This loss also snaps the unbeaten streak that had followed him from his previous interim spell in 2021, a record that had become a source of pride and momentum for the squad.

Carrick was quick to dissect where he felt the game had been lost, pointing to a failure to seize control when they had the numerical advantage.

Despite being a man up for the majority of the contest, United failed to break down a resilient Newcastle defence and were ultimately caught by a sucker-punch on the counter-attack.

“That’s the most frustrating part,” he explained, his tone one of clear analysis.

“With the man advantage, the onus is on us to control the game, to be patient but ruthless. We moved the ball, but we didn’t move them enough. We didn’t create the clear-cut chances we needed to kill the game off. You always have to respect the opposition; they have quality and they will fight. If you don’t take your moments, you leave the door open, and tonight they walked through it.”

The defeat is a damaging setback in the fiercely competitive race for Champions League qualification.

With just ten games remaining, United now face an uphill battle to claw back the points deficit to the top four.

Carrick, however, is determined to ensure the crushing feeling of this defeat does not derail the progress his team has made.

“The journey isn’t about one game. It’s about the response,” Carrick insisted, looking ahead.

“The lads have been fantastic since January. We’ve built something on resilience and belief. Right now, it hurts in the dressing room, and it should. But we have to use that pain. We have to make sure this feeling fuels us for the run-in. The challenge now is to show our character and bounce back.”

While the unbeaten run is over, Carrick will now discover if his side possesses the resilience to begin a new one when it matters most.