Internal tensions at Manchester United surfaced following a heavy 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League, as captain Bruno Fernandes pointed fingers at tactical decisions while manager Michael Carrick blasted the squad’s work rate and attitude.
The away defeat extended Manchester United’s winless streak to seven matches across all competitions and leaves them with two losses from three European fixtures this season. The fallout follows earlier friction within the club after defender Lisandro Martinez publicly called out technical director Jason Wilcox following a defeat against Atletico Madrid.
Fernandes Questions Tactical Strategy
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Fernandes targeted the defensive plan implemented by the coaching team. He argued that the strategy to refrain from high pressing allowed Como to grow in confidence and dictate play, resulting in frustration and fatigue for United’s players.
“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little space in behind and try to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball,” Fernandes said. “But sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confident, they have so many bodies behind the ball that make you run a lot, make people get frustrated, and then obviously when you recover the ball the legs are, and the brain, much more difficult to make it work.”
When asked if the tactical approach led to the defeat, Fernandes stated that evaluating the system was the responsibility of the manager and staff. He suggested the team should have been braver by pressing higher up the field to unsettle the opposition.
Carrick Slams Player Application
Carrick delivered a swift response during his post-match press conference, rejecting the notion that tactics were the primary issue behind the loss.
“We half pressed man-to-man in the second half and ended up conceding a goal from that,” Carrick said. “Whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win.”
Carrick voiced his frustration with the team’s display, describing the performance as unacceptable and questioning whether the players brought the required intensity and motivation to the match.
“You can’t turn it on and off and you can’t choose when you want to perform or when you don’t want to perform or when you give absolutely everything or when you maybe don’t,” Carrick told TNT Sports.
Carrick also apologized to the travelling supporters, stating that the manner of the performance was difficult to watch regardless of the result. Manchester United will attempt to end their winless run when they host Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday.
Source: SkySports | News
