Manchester United manager Michael Carrick and captain Bruno Fernandes have offered differing assessments of the team’s tactics following their 4-1 defeat to Como on Wednesday night, October 22.
United suffered their fifth defeat in 11 games this season at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium, extending their winless run to seven matches across all competitions.
According to ESPN, Fernandes questioned the team’s pressing approach after being substituted in the 67th minute, suggesting the decision not to mark opponents man-to-man had contributed to United’s poor performance.
“It was a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind,” Fernandes said.
However, Carrick appeared to disagree with his captain’s assessment, pointing to the players’ work rate as a major factor in the defeat.
“We actually were half-pressed man-to-man in the second half and then conceded a goal from that,” the United manager said.
“And 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.”
The apparent difference in opinion has added to the pressure on Carrick, who signed a two-year contract in May after guiding United to a third-place finish in the Premier League.
The latest setback has raised further questions about the team’s consistency and the manager’s ability to turn around their fortunes.
Despite speculation over his future, Carrick insisted he had not considered the possibility of being dismissed, choosing instead to focus on the team’s disappointing performance and the frustration of supporters.
“Listen, I’ve not given my own position any thought. This is for the supporters; I was one of them watching that, and I wasn’t happy at all,” he said.
“I’m really angry, to be honest. We might win, we might lose, but the way we went about it tonight wasn’t acceptable. I just wanted to let the fans know that I feel for them, for sure.”
Carrick also apologised to the travelling supporters after the final whistle, acknowledging their disappointment with United’s display.
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