Manchester United's 4-1 defeat at Como in the Champions League has exposed a growing rift inside the club. Captain Bruno Fernandes took aim at the coaching staff, criticising their pressing plan for leaving space behind the defence and inviting Como to dominate possession.
Asked by TNT Sports about a lack of cohesion out of possession, Fernandes defended his team-mates and placed the responsibility on head coach Michael Carrick and his staff. "That's on the manager and on the staff to see it, it's not on me," he said. He argued United should have been braver in pressing high and taking risks, as Como had done to them.
Carrick responded bluntly. "We half pressed man-to-man in the second half and ended up conceding a goal from that," he said. "Whatever tactics you play, if you don't run back, you ain't going to win." Usually measured in front of the media, he admitted to being "really angry" after the loss, which stretched the club's winless run to seven games.
For Carrick, the issue was not just tactics but application. He questioned whether the players' motivation had been sufficient, stating that the level of effort shown was not acceptable.
The defeat follows a previous outburst from defender Lisandro Martinez, who criticised technical director Jason Wilcox over transfer window failings after the loss at Atletico Madrid. A meeting between Carrick, Martinez and Wilcox had repaired relations at the time, but Fernandes' comments now raise fresh questions about unity within the squad.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing