Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes criticised Michael Carrick’s tactical approach after a 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como, one of the club’s most humiliating European nights.
Carrick’s future was immediately placed under scrutiny after United’s seventh consecutive match without a win. The head coach apologised to the 700 travelling supporters after the final whistle, having ignored his players and walked across the pitch repeatedly holding his hands up.
The gesture was similar to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reaction after United lost 4-1 at Watford in November 2021. Solskjaer was dismissed 24 hours later.
Fernandes, regarded as one of United’s most tactically knowledgeable players, was more direct in his assessment when speaking to TNT Sports.
“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,” he said.
Asked whether Carrick had got his tactics wrong, Fernandes replied: “That’s on the manager and staff to see it, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable.”
Carrick responded in his post-match news conference: “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.”
Carrick refuses to discuss his future
Carrick would not answer questions about his position, instead accepting responsibility for United’s display and apologising to the supporters.
“I have to apologise to the supporters,” said the former player. “I care about this football club as much as anyone, if not more, with the position that I’m in and what I value this football club. For us to play in that way is not acceptable.”
He said he had gone over to the fans to acknowledge what they had endured in recent weeks.
“We might win, we might lose, but the way we went about it tonight wasn’t acceptable. I just wanted the fans to know I feel for them,” he added.
“Listen. I’ve not given my own position any thought this is for the supporters. I was one of them watching that, and I wasn’t happy at all.”
Carrick won 12 of his 17 matches in charge last season and guided United back into the Champions League after a two-year absence, earning a two-year contract. They are now 13th in the Premier League, three points above bottom club Sunderland.
United’s only other victory in 11 matches in all competitions came against Azerbaijan champions Sabah FK in the Champions League. Their seven-game winless run is their worst since Louis van Gaal’s side went eight matches without victory between 25 November and 28 December 2015.
Joshua Zirkzee’s injury-time consolation prevented the defeat from becoming United’s joint second-worst in Europe. Como’s Nico Paz opened the scoring after 118 seconds.
United face 15th-placed Bournemouth on Sunday. The Cherries won 3-0 on their previous two visits to Old Trafford before last season’s 4-4 draw.
Supporters also sang against the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe during the defeat. United flew straight back to Manchester, with no decision yet made on whether Carrick will remain in charge for Bournemouth.
