Bruno Fernandes Blames Michael Carrick’s Tactics After Manchester United’s 4-1 Champions League Humiliation by Como
Bruno Fernandes Blames Michael Carrick’s Tactics After Manchester United’s 4-1 Champions League Humiliation by Como
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes publicly blamed head coach Michael Carrick’s tactical approach after the club suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como 1907 in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, October 21. The heavy loss in Italy stretched United’s winless run to seven matches and sparked an open clash between the captain and the manager over the team’s defensive strategy.
What Happened in the Match?
Como, playing in Italy’s Serie D as recently as 2019 and now coached by Cesc Fabregas, dominated the League Phase MD3 encounter. Argentine playmaker Nico Paz starred with two goals and an assist, while Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramon also found the net for the Italian side. Joshua Zirkzee scored a late consolation goal for United, but it did little to change the picture of one of the most embarrassing nights in the club’s European history.
Fernandes Points the Finger at the Staff
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Fernandes, who was substituted in the 67th minute, revealed the instruction the players had received from the coaching setup. “It’s a decision from the staff to not 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,” he said. “That’s on the manager and on the staff to see it, it’s not on me.”
Asked directly whether Carrick had got his tactics wrong, the captain added: “Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable.”
Carrick Fires Back
Carrick, informed of Fernandes’ comments in his post-match press conference, gave a curt reply: “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.”
After the final whistle, Carrick walked across the pitch to apologize to the roughly 700 travelling United supporters, repeatedly holding his hands up in a gesture reminiscent of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a 4-1 loss at Watford in November 2021 — a result that led to Solskjaer’s sacking within 24 hours.
What It Means for United
The defeat leaves Manchester United under serious pressure to reach the Champions League knockout stage, having lost two of their three matches so far. With the club’s longest winless run in over a decade and a public rift between captain and coach, questions over Carrick’s future are only set to intensify.
Sources: Citi Sports, The Sun Nigeria, Futbol Chronicle