Fabregas admits he told Como to ease off after racing 4-0 clear against Manchester United

Cesc Fabregas has admitted he ordered his Como side to drop their intensity after they surged into a 4-0 lead against Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday, a decision the manager says he regrets after the Red Devils scored a late consolation.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder, now in charge of the Italian club, oversaw one of the most remarkable nights in Como’s history as they dismantled United at Old Trafford. Joshua Zirkzee’s late strike gave the scoreline a slightly more respectable look, but Fabregas was candid about his role in allowing United back onto the scoresheet.

“I regret the last ten minutes because I was the one who told the team to slow down the tempo because there’s another match and at 4-0 we could manage things a little,” Fabregas said after the final whistle. “I told the players to stop running and stay in the middle and that is something I regret because I’m the first to always push them to fight until the end. Their goal hurt me because we dropped our intensity and dropped our defensive block, but it was my fault.”

The result leaves United manager Michael Carrick under severe pressure. The club have won just two of their 11 games in all competitions this season, and Carrick’s position is reported to be hanging by a thread despite signing a two-year deal in the summer following an impressive stint as caretaker boss.

Carrick did not hold back in his post-match press conference, directing pointed criticism at his players’ attitude. “We might win, we might lose, but the way we went about it tonight, I wouldn’t say everyone, but the way we went about it in some ways tonight wasn’t acceptable,” he said. “It wasn’t just the goals, if I’m totally honest. It was the manner and the way we played at times, in the way we went about it, that was the difficult thing to watch for me.”

The United manager also addressed the club’s supporters directly, insisting his commitment to the role remains total. “It’s not about playing for me, it’s about playing for this football club. It’s the responsibility that comes with being in the position; I’m responsible for the football club and the supporters. I’m giving my best, absolute best all the time, I care about it. My whole life’s wrapped around it.”

For Como, the victory represents a landmark moment in their history, and Fabregas will be hoping the result — despite his tactical regret — can serve as a springboard for the challenges ahead.