Bruno Fernandes Questions Michael Carrick’s Tactics After Manchester United’s 4-1 Loss to Como
United captain Bruno Fernandes publicly criticized the team's pressing strategy after a 4-1 defeat at Como on Wednesday, putting manager Michael Carrick under fresh pressure.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes publicly questioned the tactics of manager Michael Carrick on Wednesday evening, after United fell 4-1 to Como.
Fernandes, who was substituted in the 66th minute and walked off the field shaking his head, told TNT Sports that the team’s approach to pressing had left United too easy to play through. “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,” he said.
When pressed on whether he meant Carrick had gotten his tactics wrong, Fernandes answered: “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.”
Carrick apologizes to supporters
After the final whistle, Carrick walked straight to the travelling supporters at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium and raised his hands in apology. “I care an unbelievable amount about the supporters, they are the heartbeat of this football club and always will be,” he told TNT Sports. “For them to travel, I can only apologise for the performance. There’s no excuses at all. I think it’s just not acceptable.”
Dressing room unrest grows
Fernandes’ comments came one week after teammate Lisandro Martinez took a swipe at United technical director Jason Wilcox. After United’s 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid, Martinez said he “100 per cent expected more” from Wilcox over strengthening the squad, after Carrick steered the side to a third-place finish last season.
Reporting based on coverage by talkSPORT.
