‘That’s not on me’ – Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes savages Michael Carrick after Como defeat
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned his ire towards head coach Michael Carrick after the Red Devils were beaten 4-1 at Como in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Man United fell behind to goals from Nico Paz, Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramon before Joshua Zirkzee’s stoppage-time consolation goal in Lombardy.
The Red Devils have now lost their last two league phase matches and have beaten only Sabah and promoted Premier League side Ipswich Town in all competitions. Inevitably, the internal disgruntlement is beginning to show on the outside.
Manchester United ‘have to be more brave’
Carrick was given the job on a permanent basis after stepping up to take United back into the Champions League after the exit of Ruben Amorim at the beginning of this year, but calls for patience are weakening with each disappointing result.
Fernandes didn’t hold back after they lost to Como, telling Champions League broadcaster TNT Sports that the responsibility for getting it right does not belong in the dressing room.
“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 too much the ball to these teams they get confidence,” said the United captain, who was asked directly whether his head coach had opted for the wrong tactical approach.
“That’s on the manager and staff to see it, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable.”
Carrick was quick to shift the blame to his players’ execution of the game plan. The former England midfielder said: “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.”
Dissenting players at Old Trafford are starting to expose the cracks and the public nature of their complaints hasn’t gone down well with former professionals. On TNT Sports, former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole condemned Fernandes.
“I’ve played for managers I’ve played for where you don’t agree with the tactics and you might say that to your mate or your wife,” said Cole. You don’t come out, as captain of the club, and question the manager.
“He doesn’t even do it properly. If you’re going to do it, come out and and say it with your chest. He’s saying it and he probably thinks he’s being clever – ‘well I didn’t really say it, gaffer’.
“You can think the manager has got the tactics wrong, that’s fine. Go into his office tomorrow morning and have a conversation but to come out in front of the nation as club captain and question your manager is simply unacceptable.”
Fernandes’ thinly veiled criticism of Carrick’s tactics followed the furore over comments made by defender Lisandro Martinez.
The Argentina defender apologised after targeting United technical director Jason Wilcox in the aftermath of their previous Champions League loss.
“We don’t have the best squad at the moment compared to other top teams,” he said after United’s game at Atletico Madrid. “I’m not going to close my mouth. We need more ambition. If we don’t say the truth, nothing will change.”
