Bruno Fernandes has criticised Manchester United’s tactical approach after their heavy Champions League defeat by Como, placing responsibility for the team’s vulnerability on manager Michael Carrick and his staff.
The United captain questioned a plan which saw his side avoid man-to-man pressing against Cesc Fabregas’s Como team, allowing the Italian side to build confidence and take control of the match.
Bruno Fernandes questions Manchester United tactics
“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confidence,” Fernandes said after the match.
Asked whether Carrick should take responsibility for the decisions that left United exposed, Fernandes replied: “That’s on the manager and staff to see it, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable.”
His comments follow criticism from Lisandro Martinez, who made explosive remarks about the club’s hierarchy after a defeat two weeks ago. Fernandes’s intervention adds to the pressure surrounding a Manchester United side described in the source material as dysfunctional.
The defeat has intensified scrutiny of Carrick’s position, with the club’s board understood to be keen to retain their manager despite having gone through a succession of coaches. Fernandes’s public assessment of the tactical plan has further sharpened the focus on the manager and his staff.
