Fernandes criticises Carrick after 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como

Bruno Fernandes publicly criticised Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick following United's 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como on 21 October 2026. The criticism came after a heavy loss that left questions over the head coach.

Carrick apologised to the 700 travelling fans after the match and did not join his players immediately, instead marching across the pitch and repeatedly holding his hands up. Those actions drew comparisons with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reaction to a 4-1 defeat at Watford in November 2021, which preceded Solskjaer's dismissal 24 hours later.

Fernandes, described in the report as widely accepted as a football obsessive who watches games regularly and understands the tactical side as well as any player in the United squad, spoke to TNT Sports after the game. On tactics he said: "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 space to these teams they get confidence,"

Asked directly whether Carrick got his tactics wrong, Fernandes added to TNT Sports: "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."

When told of Fernandes' comments in his post-match press conference, Carrick offered what the report described as a curt response and said: "There's a little bit of 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 aren't going to win." Carrick also acknowledged the club's fans after the defeat.

The 4-1 Champions League hammering at Como has left Carrick facing questions about his future at the club.