Manchester United head coach, Michael Carrick, has hit back at captain Bruno Fernandes following their 4-1 defeat to Como in the UEFA Champions League, with the exchange raising further questions about the Englishman’s future at the club.
United suffered their fifth defeat in 11 matches this season after a disappointing display at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on Wednesday night, extending their winless run to seven games and increasing pressure on Carrick.
Fernandes, who was substituted in the 67th minute, appeared to question the team’s tactical approach after the match, suggesting that the coaching staff’s decision not to employ man-to-man pressing contributed to their struggles against the Italian side.
“It was a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind,” Fernandes said.
Responding to the Portuguese midfielder’s remarks during his post-match press conference, Carrick defended the team’s approach but insisted that the players’ work rate was equally important to their performance.
“We actually were half-pressed man-to-man in the second half and then conceded a goal from that,” Carrick 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 exchange between the United manager and his captain has added to the uncertainty surrounding Carrick’s position, with the club struggling to turn around their poor run of results.
Carrick signed a two-year contract in May after guiding United to a third-place finish in the Premier League.
However, the team’s recent performances have intensified scrutiny of his leadership and raised questions about whether he can restore consistency.
Asked whether he was concerned about the possibility of being dismissed, the 45-year-old said he had not considered his position, instead focusing on the supporters’ disappointment following the heavy defeat.
“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.
“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 had apologised to the travelling supporters after the final whistle, acknowledging that United’s performance fell below acceptable standards as the club seeks to recover from its difficult start to the campaign.
