Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes wasn’t impressed by the tactic of Michael Carrick during his side’s humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League.
United were outrun, outfought and outplayed by their Italian opponents, with Nico Paz in particular running the visitors ragged – notching two goals and an assist for Cesc Fabregas’s well-drilled side.
It was one of United’s worst performances in their long and storied European history and extends their winless run in all competitions to seven matches and ramp up the pressure on Carrick, who may well be on the brink of the sack.
Fernandes was largely ineffective once again as the Red Devils failed to gain a foothold before he was substituted off on 67 minutes, a rare move for the ever-present skipper, and his replacement Joshua Zirkzee scored an injury-time consolation.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Fernandes criticised United’s tactics, specifically their lack of pressing which gave Como too much time and left them somewhat toothless.
“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,” said Fernandes.
"I think sometimes we have to be more brave under pressure."
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Captain Bruno Fernandes gives his immediate reaction to Manchester United's heavy 4-1 defeat to Como 🗣️
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When asked whether he was saying that Carrick got his tactics wrong, the Portuguese added: “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 [Como], the centre-back was coming to mark me in my own half. We need to do that as a team but we were unable 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.”
Midfielder Youri Tielemans admitted the performance wasn’t up to scratch, saying: “It was a very bad match from us. The fans come out here and we put out a non-performance like this, it's not good enough from us.”
The pressure is mounting on Carrick, with Sunday’s home match against Bournemouth now taking on even more importance.
And former United striker Dimitar Berbatov, speaking on TNT after the game, didn’t pull any punches when discussing the Red Devils’ display.
“It was a terrible, terrible night,” said Berbatov. “A terrible game for United, nothing was happening and Como outplayed them in every way possible.
“From the goals, from the taking the ball, the possession, the confidence. Everything was there for Como. It was like they were playing a second team. Look at the first goal, the confidence on the ball, the time on the ball.
“Sometimes it’s not about the loss, it’s about how you lose, and today that was the point, how we lost that game of football.
“After a performance like this, probably, like every time, are these the right players to compete on the highest stage? Is that the right manager? Is this the right way? Of course after games like this, people will say we need more players, we need better players, we need this and that.
“What can you say after a performance like this? Today it didn’t look like everyone was giving their best on the pitch. Como looked like they were just having fun. It looked like men against kids.”