Como's 4-1 Champions League win left Manchester United with their worst European result since 1994, and Bruno Fernandes questioning the tactics.
Manchester United suffered one of the heaviest nights in their European history on Wednesday, losing 4-1 away to Como in the Champions League. According to the Guardian, it was United's worst defeat in continental football since 1994, and it has left head coach Michael Carrick fielding questions about his future.
A fast start, and no way back
Como, who are making their Champions League debut under Cesc Fabregas, scored after two minutes when Nico Paz curled a shot past Senne Lammens, the Guardian reported. That made United the first English team to concede inside two minutes in consecutive major European matches, following a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid last week that also began with an early goal.
Como doubled their lead four minutes into the second half, with Paz setting up Tasos Douvikas. Paz then added his second to make it 3-0 by the 57th minute, and Jacobo Ramon headed in a fourth on 76 minutes from a Kaiki Bruno cross. The Guardian said Josh Zirkzee's stoppage-time goal for United was not even a consolation.
United were without nine players through injury, suspension or illness, according to the Guardian, which called that some mitigation. Mathijs de Ligt returned to the side for his first appearance in 325 days after a serious back injury.
Fernandes questions the approach
The BBC reported that captain Bruno Fernandes turned on Carrick after the match. Speaking to TNT Sports, Fernandes said it was a staff decision not to press man to man and sometimes to leave space behind. "When you give space to these teams they get confidence," he said, according to the BBC. Asked directly whether the tactics were wrong, he replied that it was "on the manager and staff to see, not me", and added that sometimes a team has to be braver under pressure.
Carrick, told of the comments, gave a curt answer, the BBC reported. He said that whatever system or tactics a team plays, "if you don't run, and you don't run forward, and you don't run back, you aren't going to win." He apologised to the travelling supporters, said the performance was not acceptable and, according to the BBC, declined to discuss his own future, saying he had not given his position any thought.
What comes next
The Guardian noted that United have won only two games all season under Carrick. Their next match is at home to Bournemouth on Sunday at Old Trafford.
For Como, the Guardian called it the most famous victory of the club's 119 years, and a strong statement for a side playing in the competition for the first time. For United, the pressure on the dugout is now very real, and the focus will turn quickly to how the team responds this weekend.
Picture credit: Manchester United (official match photo)
