Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has hit back at Bruno Fernandes after the club captain criticised his tactics during the 4-1 humiliation to Como.
United’s awful start to the season continued on Wednesday as they were put to the sword by Como.
The Red Devils found themselves a goal down inside two minutes courtesy of Nico Paz, who curled home a stunner. Paz then turned provider, assisting Tasos Douvikas just before the break.
Paz completed his brace at the hour mark before defender Jacobo Romano headed home Como’s fourth. Joshua Zirkzee scored a consolation goal for United in injury time.
After the final whistle, a furious Fernandes questioned Carrick’s tactics, as he appeared to blame them for the team’s woeful performance. Fernandes specifically indicated that he and his teammates had been instructed not to play man for man.
Speaking at his press conference, Carrick was asked about Fernandes’ comments and refused to dodge the issue.
Carrick fires back at Fernandes
The United boss said, “We actually half pressed man to man in the second half and then conceded a goal from that, is a little bit on whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, but if you don’t run, you don’t run forward, you don’t run back, you aren’t going to win.”
Michael Carrick responds to Bruno Fernandes appearing to question his tactics:
"We actually half-pressed, man-to-man in the second half and then ended up conceding a goal from that. It’s a little bit on 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 ain’t going to win." 😬
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) October 21, 2026
Asked whether he feels the players are playing for him, Carrick answered, “It shouldn’t be me, it’s not about playing for me, it’s about playing for this football club. It’s the responsibility that comes with.”
“Whether I’m in the position, I’m responsible for the football club and the supporters, I’m giving my best, absolute best, all the time, care about it, my whole life is wrapped around it.”
“Listen, it might go well, it might not go so well, but I’ve genuinely when you give everything that I possibly can. It’s really not about me, it’s about what we all give as staff for this football club.”
Asked whether the players care as much as he does, Carrick answered, “I would like to think so, I didn’t like what I saw tonight though.”
Crisis
On how United can get out of their current slump, Carrick remarked, “First of all, I have to apologise to the supporters. I went over at the end. I care about this football club as much as anyone, if not more. I know the position that I’m in, that I value this football club. For us to play in that way, it’s not acceptable.”
“It wasn’t a good performance at all. We wanted to build on what we brought to Leeds and the performance that we had at Leeds. That bit of intensity, that aggression, that real willingness to give everything tonight was totally the opposite of the performance. I have to say it was tough to watch.”
Carrick shared what was going through his mind during the game.
“There’s a lot coming from my mind, watching that. Genuinely, it’s difficult to understand how it can be so different. It shouldn’t be like that, we can all play well, we can all have poor performances, but to do it in that manner is really not right at all.”
Job on the line
It was put to Carrick that United’s Como loss may spell the end of his United tenure, in the same manner the 4-1 loss to Watford did to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer five years ago.
Carrick said, “I always go to the fans anyway regarding this. It wasn’t a particularly different kind of reason why I went over. I think it’s the appreciation and the acknowledgement of what they’ve gone through, and they have done over a few weeks now, but particularly tonight.”
“I think as I said I was one of them, I’m feeling the same as them, for them to make the effort and spend the money and come and hope for something. We’ve got a lot of values in this football club and what we represent and how we want to go about it.”
“We might win, we might lose, but the way we went about it tonight, I wouldn’t say everyone but the way we went about it in some ways tonight was unacceptable, and I have got to let the fans know that. I feel for them for sure.”
Asked whether he feels frustrated at being let down by the players considering their experience, Carrick responded, “Yeah, I don’t take it personally, it’s everything’s wrapped around the football club, what you do, your behaviours and how you perform and how you go about it. More importantly is responsibility to represent this football club. I’m in the position, yeah, of course I am, and I’ve played that with real privilege.”
“But it’s about the football club, you know, and what we represent and the supporters. It wasn’t just the goals, I’m totally honest, you know, it wasn’t just the goals. It was the manner and the way we played at times and the way we went about it was a difficult thing to watch for me.”
On whether he wants to continue, he explained, “No, it’s not about me right now and my feelings in that regard. It’s more of as a team, as a football club, what we want to look like, what we should look like. As I said, the results can come and go at times, but you’ve got to do it a certain way and that wasn’t it.”
Finally, he was asked whether he feels the top brass will sack him.
“I have not given my own position any thought. This is for the supporters, and I was one of them tonight watching that and I wasn’t happy at all.”
United are next in action on Sunday when they face Bournemouth at home.
Featured image by Marco Luzzani via Getty Images
