Manchester United endured a comprehensive dismantling at the hands of Como, putting manager Michael Carrick under intense scrutiny following an uninspired tactical and physical performance. The Italian side dominated proceedings, exposing structural flaws across United’s lineup and leaving several senior players facing severe criticism.
Defensive Lapses and Early Como Dominance
Como playmaker Nico Paz orchestrated the contest, opening the scoring with a curled strike into the far corner after finding acres of space near the edge of the penalty area. Defender Harry Maguire afforded the Argentine international roughly five yards of room before the shot, prompting match commentator Adam Summerton to observe: “I’ve watched a lot of Nico Paz and I’ve got to tell you, you’ve got to close him down more quickly.”
The sluggish defensive sequence directly contradicted Maguire’s own public comments following a recent fixture against Leeds, in which he called on the squad to show greater courage. Maguire had insisted: “We’re in a circumstance where we are not as brave as we should be, and we have to get that back because to win games for Manchester United we have to have that bravery and composure.” However, United showed little of that required composure on the pitch against Como.
Midfield Dysfunction and Bruno Fernandes Struggles
Carrick attempted to reshape his team at the break by withdrawing both Matheus Cunha and Andrey Santos. Yet captain Bruno Fernandes endured an equally dismal evening, repeatedly miscontrolling the ball and forcing ill-advised passes before finally being substituted 20 minutes into the second half.
The construction of the squad under Jason Wilcox has left Carrick with a midfield fundamentally short of mobility. Neither Santos, Kobbie Mainoo, nor Youri Tielemans possess the dynamic running power to shield the defence while granting Fernandes positional freedom. Half-time substitute Carlos Baleba brought brief aggression, but he was dispossessed by Paz, who broke away from a trailing Tielemans to establish a 3-0 lead for Como.
Further Misery for De Ligt and Carrick
Matthijs de Ligt experienced a miserable return to competitive action when Anastasios Douvikas latched onto a defense-splitting through ball from Paz, finishing into the top corner while outstripping the centre-back. Reviewing De Ligt’s unsuccessful attempt to recover, television co-commentator Glenn Hoddle simply remarked: “Bless him.”
While Wilcox, the Glazer ownership, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe share substantial blame for the current state of the playing squad, Carrick faces mounting questions regarding his long-term tenure in the dugout. Watching Como add a fourth goal against a disorganized United side, Hoddle summarized the gulf in class between the two teams: “It’s men against boys. Which Man Utd have done to teams over the years, let’s be clear.”
