Bruno Fernandes takes aim at Carrick

COMO VICTORY: Manchester United were trounced 4-1 in Italy, while in Germany, Arsenal moved to seven points in the competition with a 2-2 draw against Bayern

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes on Wednesday criticized manager Michael Carrick’s tactics following their humiliating 4-1 defeat against Como in the UEFA Champions League.

United fell behind to a second-minute goal and never recovered as the club’s winless run reached seven games after another lackluster performance.

“We started on the wrong foot and they scored very early,” Fernandes told TNT Sports. “Not much pressure on the ball, not many good movements with the ball, not many things going our way.”

The Portugal midfielder suggested that Nico Paz’s early strike for Como had a damaging effect on the visitors, leaving them struggling to impose themselves.

Paz scored again after Tasos Douvikas had doubled the lead, with Jacobo Ramon adding a fourth.

Only a stoppage-time goal from Joshua Zirkzee stopped United from succumbing to their joint-heaviest Champions League loss.

“Conceding early makes us go into the game with a mood of defeat,” Fernandes said. “It’s difficult to get out of that, trying to be brave, to have the ball and make something happen.”

“If we are not able to do that, it is going to be very difficult to get out of this situation,” he added.

Fernandes also highlighted United’s passive approach out of possession, saying Como were allowed too much time and space to dictate play.

Asked whether those comments amounted to criticism of Carrick’s tactics, Fernandes said: “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.”

Elsewhere, a Declan Rice equalizer earned Arsenal a 2-2 draw away to Bayern Munich, while Real Madrid thumped RB Leipzig 4-1 and there were victories for Inter, Aston Villa and Real Betis Balompie.

Last season’s beaten finalists Arsenal have seven points from a possible nine after Rice struck in the 82nd minute to earn a draw in Munich.

Bukayo Saka went off injured early on, but his replacement, Eberechi Eze, fired Arsenal into the lead, only for Alphonso Davies to level before the interval.

Harry Kane set up that goal with a magnificent pass and then gave Bayern the lead from a second-half penalty, his 10th strike this season in all competitions.

Arsenal hit back as Bayern registered a second straight Champions League stalemate.

“We looked dangerous, we got the goal and we had a moment there where we could have killed off the game,” Kane told broadcaster DAZN. “Probably a draw was a fair result overall... There’s a lot of games and we’ve got players with injuries, players missing tonight, so we take the point and move on.”

Real got goals either side of halftime from Bernardo Silva and Arda Guler to set them on their way at the Bernabeu.

Kylian Mbappe made it 12 goals in 12 games this season for Real before Tidiam Gomis pulled one back, but Yan Diomande completed Real’s victory with a spectacular volley against his former club.

Villa won 3-1 at home against Viking Stavanger with Ross Barkley’s opener being followed by Emiliano Buendia’s penalty and Henrik Heggheim’s own-goal.

Peter Christiansen got one back for the Norwegian champions, who are still looking for their first win.

Inter had Alessandro Bastoni sent off midway through the second half before Carlos Augusto’s late goal secured a 1-0 win at home to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Betis have maximum points as an Isco penalty handed them a 1-0 win over Feyenoord in Seville.

In other games, Club Brugge defeated Lens 3-0 in Belgium, Victor Osimhen sealed a 4-2 victory for Galatasaray away to his old side Lille OSC in France, LASK of Austria have their first points after a fine 3-2 victory over Sporting in Lisbon and VfB Stuttgart and Atletico Madrid drew 1-1.