What did Bruno Fernandes say about Man United tactics? Red Devils captain questions Michael Carrick after Como loss
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What did Bruno Fernandes say about Man United tactics? Red Devils captain questions Michael Carrick after Como loss originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has come under fire for the team's extremely poor start to the 2026/27 season.
Sitting 13th in the Premier League table with just one win in seven league matches, the Red Devils have won just two games across all competitions this season, beaten most recently 4-1 by Como in an embarrassing road loss that piled on the pressure.
After the match, things become even more toxic as the United captain Bruno Fernandes appeared to question his manager's tactical approach to the match, seeming to point the finger at the head coach when asked what went wrong in the match.
That has brought criticism upon both Carrick and Fernandes himself, as the behavior has been deemed unfit for a club captain.
MORE:What went wrong for Michael Carrick at Man United?
What did Bruno Fernandes say about Michael Carrick tactics?
After the defeat to Como, Man United captain Bruno Fernandes appeared to openly question the manager's tactics in the game.
"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," he said.
Asked directly whether Carrick got his tactics wrong, Fernandes added: "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."
Man United have largely not been a high-pressing team throughout Michael Carrick's tenure as permanent manager this season.
MORE:All the latest Man United news
Michael Carrick responds to Bruno Fernandes criticism
Manchester United boss Michael Carrick responded to the criticism of the tactics from his captain.
In his post-match press conference, Carrick was asked about his captain's choice of words, and defended his approach, saying that they tried to press at one point, and conceded a goal from it.
Michael Carrick responded to Bruno Fernandes' post-match comments criticising the tactics. https://t.co/RpJLlaEstb
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 21, 2026
"We actually were half pressing man-to-man in the second half and conceded a goal from that. It's a little bit on whatever system you play or tactics you play, if you don't run forward and you don't run back you ain't gonna win."
Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole both criticize Bruno Fernandes comments
Two former players turned pundit, Jamie Carragher and Joe Cole, have both called out the way Bruno Fernandes.
Cole said on TNT Sports that "you cannot come out and question the tactics" while captain of the side.
"That's sacrilege," Cole said. "I've played for managers where I don't agree with the tactics that they do, but you might say that to your mate, or to your wife.
"He doesn't even do it properly. If you're going to come out, be bold and say it with your chest. He sort of says 'well it could have been this but it's up to the manager.' He's saying it and he probably thinks he's being clever."
Carragher, meanwhile, had a similar sentiment speaking on CBS Sports in the United States. "We said Lisandro Martinez was bang out of order last week for calling out the hierarchy above him, and for Bruno Fernandes to do that is a disgrace really.
"Last season he got player of the year; that was on the back of Michael Carrick becoming the manager. He wouldn't have gotten that award [Player of the Year] without Michael Carrick."