Manchester United are offering full support to Bruno Fernandes and his family after a burglary at his home while he was playing in a Champions league clash against Como on Wednesday evening.
A damaging evening in Lombardy saw United fall to a heavy 4-1 defeat against Cesc Fabregas’ side, lengthening their winless streak to seven matches and prompting Fernandes to openly criticise the tactics of boss Michael Carrick.
Having flown back from Italy alongside his teammates early on Thursday morning, the Portuguese international was forced to handle the fallout from the break-in that occurred during his time abroad.
It is understood that Fernandes’ family were not present when the incident occurred, with officers attending promptly and United giving full assistance to their skipper.
Fernandes, meanwhile, is set to escape internal punishment after the Manchester United captain’s outburst in Como.
The defeat and Fernandes' statements intensified scrutiny over Carrick’s position prior to Sunday’s Premier League match against Bournemouth, but it is understood he will remain in his post.
United skipper Fernandes has been a pale imitation of last season’s performer so far this term, and questioned Carrick’s tactics as another Champions League trip ended with an eye-catching post-match player interview following on from last week’s remarks by Lisandro Martinez.
Fernandes claimed it was the staff’s decision “not to press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little bit of space in behind” in Como.
Captain Fernandes, who was substituted after 67 minutes at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, delivered a damning assessment after the game.
He told TNT Sports: “It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little bit of space in behind, and trying to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball.
“Sometimes when you give too much of the ball to these teams, they get confidence. They have so many bodies behind the ball that make you run a lot, make people get frustrated, and then obviously when you recover the ball, the legs and the brain are much more difficult to make it work.”
Asked further about the tactics, he said: “It’s on the manager and on the staff to say it, it is not on me.
“I just said that I think sometimes we have to be more brave under pressure, trying to take a risk of getting that press very high and making them uncomfortable, as they did to us.”
Yet, the Press Association understands United are not expected to punish Fernandes for his impassioned post-match interview a week on from Martinez’s caustic remarks, which led to a fine and talks with the club hierarchy.