Michael Carrick has responded after Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes criticised the tactics used by the team during their 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.
Fernandes questioned United’s pressing approach after they were comprehensively beaten by the Italian side, coached by former Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
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Speaking after the match, Carrick accepted ‘responsibility’ for the disappointing result in his role as United’s head coach. He had also apologised to the supporters who travelled to Lombardy following the final whistle.
However, his post-match interview took place before Fernandes’ comments to TNT Sports became public, and the manager was subsequently questioned about them during his media conference.
In his reply, Carrick seemed to indicate that United’s failure to work hard enough when they did not have possession contributed to their disappointing performance on Tuesday night.
Carrick addresses Brunos comments..
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This won't end well.. pic.twitter.com/dgdd8WRA8Z— John O'Kane🇾🇪 (@johnaokane74) October 21, 2026
“Actually, we half pressed man-to-man in the second half and ended up conceding a goal from that,” he stated (via Sky Sports).
“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.”
Asked whether Fernandes’ remarks raised questions about the players’ commitment to him, Carrick responded: “It shouldn’t be me. 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 it.
“I’m in the position, I’m responsible for the football club and the supporters. I’m giving my best, my absolute best, all the time. I care about it. My whole life’s wrapped around it. Listen, it might go well, it might not go so well. But I genuinely give everything that I possibly can. It’s not about me, in the relationship. It’s about what we all give – players, staff – for this football club.”
“I’d like to think so,” Carrick said when asked whether he believed the players were equally committed to the club. “I didn’t like what I’d seen tonight now.”
Fernandes, who was taken off in the 67th minute against Como in an unusual substitution under Carrick, or indeed most Manchester United managers, had spoken to TNT Sports after the game to explain what he considered a major factor behind the defeat.
United have now recorded just one victory in all competitions since August, a 4-0 triumph over Azerbaijani champions Sabah in their opening Champions League group-stage fixture. Fernandes’ comments appeared to hint at growing dissatisfaction among the players over the team’s tactical approach.
“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little bit of space and try to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball,” he said.
“Of course we can, but it’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little bit of space and try to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball,” he added.
“But sometimes when you give too much of the ball to these teams, they get confidence … it’s on the manager and on the staff to see it, it’s not on me. I just said that sometimes we have to be more brave under pressure, try to take a risk of getting that press very high and making them uncomfortable. As they did to us – as you saw they were going, the centre-back was coming to mark me, all the way in my own half.”
