But Carrick insists they still have a chance to retain the Premier League title.
“We were surprised at the performance on Saturday and hugely disappointed with the way the game went,” said Carrick.
“We have had some massive games in the last month and played really well over that period of time.
“That is why Saturday was such a shock. I suppose we have to look at it as a one-off. We are certainly not getting too down about things.
“We have to bounce back but the manner of our performances over the past few weeks leads us to believe we can do it again.”
He went on: “It has been a funny season with the results that have been thrown up and I certainly hope there are more slips before the end.
“It is frustrating to know we need Chelsea to slip up once or twice but we need it to be a big game when they come to Old Trafford and ensure there is a lot riding on it.
“We still believe we are in there fighting. There are a lot of points to play for so we need to keep winning and apply some pressure.”
