Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes publicly questioned manager Michael Carrick’s tactical set-up against Como 1907 after the visitors suffered a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of the Italian club, that were once a Serie D club.
In response to the captain’s remarks, Carrick questioned players’ work rate as further cracks seem to appear in the dressing room of the Manchester United team, which has suffered a turbulent start to the season so far.
The defeat comes a week after defender Lisandro Martinez vented frustration over the club’s hierarchy and technical director Jason Wilcox regarding summer transfers following a prior European setback against Atletico.
Addressing the press after the loss to Como, Fernandes shifted the focus directly onto tactical set-up, singling out the side’s pressing structure.
“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little space in behind and try to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball,” Fernandes said,
The Portuguese playmaker, who has been playing for the Red Devils since 2020, said that allowing the opposite team to have the ball built their confidence and exhausted United.
“But sometimes when you give too much of the ball to these teams, they get confident, 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 are, and the brain, much more difficult to make it work,” Bruno added.
When asked if the tactical set-up was the reason for the loss, Bruno took a jibe at Carrick.
“That’s on the manager and on the staff to see it; it’s not on me. I just said, I think sometimes we have to be more brave on the pressure, trying to take a risk of getting that press very high and making them uncomfortable, as they did to us.”
Michael Carrick hits back, slams player work rate
Michael Carrick declined the idea that tactics were the primary reason for United’s loss, focusing instead on missing commitment and work rate. Manchester United have been outrun by their opposition during most games this season.
“We half pressed man-to-man in the second half and ended up conceding a goal from that,” Carrick responded. “Whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win.”
While talking about the draw, the former United player-turned-manager, admitted that he felt sorry for the fans who made the trip to Como and admitted that the result ‘hurt’ him as a United fan himself.
“I care an unbelievable amount about the supporters. They are the heartbeat of this football club and they always will be. For them to travel, I had to apologise for the performance. To have to watch a performance like that, I totally feel for them. There are no excuses at all. It is not acceptable. It’s not about me. It’s about digesting the game and how it went. That is the most important thing right now.” Carrick concluded.
Manchester United have won just two games this season, against newly promoted Ipswich Town and UEFA Champions League debutants Sabah FK from Azerbaijan, in 11 games across leagues. The Red Devils will face Bournemouth at home at the Old Trafford in their next encounter on October 25, with pressure increasing on manager Michael Carrick as the days go by.
