Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes opened a fire on head coach Michael Carrick after the club’s 4-1 humiliation by Como in the Champions League, a match that has become one of the most embarrassing nights in United history.
After the final whistle, Fernandes walked across the pitch, raising his hands in a gesture reminiscent of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s post‑Watford exit, and later told TNT Sports that the team’s approach had “given confidence” to the opposition.
“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man‑to‑man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give too much of the ball to these teams they get confidence,” Fernandes said. When asked if Carrick’s tactics were wrong, he added, “That’s on the manager and staff to see it, not me.”
Carrick, who was given a two‑year contract after guiding United back to the Champions League last season, offered a terse reply. He said, “There’s a little bit of whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run, and you don’t run forward, and you don’t run back, you aren’t going to win.” He declined to comment on his future, instead focusing on apologising to supporters for the team’s performance.
United’s loss has left the club seven games winless, the worst run since a similar slump in 2015, and they now sit 13th in the Premier League, three points clear of Sunderland. Their next fixture is a Premier League clash with 15th‑placed Bournemouth on Sunday.
With the club’s fortunes in doubt, it remains unclear whether Carrick’s position will change before the Bournemouth game, but the criticism from the team’s talisman has added pressure to an already turbulent season.
