Fernandes, Carrick trade words after Man Utd’s defeat to Como
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes criticised the team’s tactics following the 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Fernandes questioned Michael Carrick’s decision not to allow the players to press Como man-to-man.
He said: He said: “It’s a decision from the staff not to press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, wait for them, but sometimes when you give space to these teams, they get confidence.
“That’s on the manager and staff to see, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable.
“As you saw with them, their centre-back was coming to mark me in my own half. We need to do that as a team, but we were not able to.
“A team that plays through the middle with small connections; if you give them too much time and space, then they can hurt you out wide.”
Michael Carrick disagreed with Bruno Fernandes, claiming that if the players don’t run the team can’t win while also apologising to the fans.
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He responded: “First of all, I have to apologise to the supporters. I went over at the end. I care about this football club as much as anyone, if not more. I know the position that I’m in, that I value this football club. For us to play in that way, it’s not acceptable.
“It wasn’t a good performance at all. We wanted to build on what we brought to Leeds and the performance that we had at Leeds. That bit of intensity, that aggression, that real willingness to give everything tonight was totally the opposite of the performance. I have to say it was tough to watch.”
The England manager also questioned the players lack of intensity in the encounter.
Carrick concluded: “We actually half pressed man to man in the second half and then conceded a goal from that, is a little bit on whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, but if you don’t run, you don’t run forward, you don’t run back, you aren’t going to win.”
The Red Devils have endured a disappointing start to the 2026-27 campaign, winning just two out of their first 11 matches of the season.
The team’s performances have put Michael Carrick on the brink of losing his job, a few months after he was handed the job on a permanent basis in the the summer.
Up next for the Red Devils is a clash against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday at Old Trafford.
