Fernandes' home burgled during Man Utd's 4-1 Champions League loss to Como

Bruno Fernandes arrived back in Manchester on Thursday morning to discover his home had been burgled while he was on the pitch in United’s 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia the previous evening. His family were not in the property at the time, police responded quickly, and Manchester United confirmed they are offering the captain their full support.

The break-in compounded an already damaging night for Fernandes and the club. The heavy defeat in Lombardy extended United’s winless run to seven matches and prompted the Portuguese skipper to publicly question the tactics of manager Michael Carrick in a post-match interview.

Substituted in the 67th minute, Fernandes told reporters: “It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little bit of space in behind, and trying to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball. Sometimes when you give too much of the ball to these teams, they get confidence.”

He added: “I just said that I think sometimes we have to be more brave under pressure, trying to take a risk of getting that press very high and making them uncomfortable, as they did to us.”

Despite the pointed criticism of Carrick’s approach — the second such public rebuke from a senior player in as many weeks following Lisandro Martinez’s comments — the Press Association understands United are not planning to take disciplinary action against Fernandes.

Carrick’s position has come under intensified scrutiny ahead of Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Bournemouth, though it is understood he will remain in charge. Fernandes, who captained the side in Como, has struggled to replicate the form he showed last season and now faces the additional strain of the home break-in as United attempt to arrest their slide.