United chiefs blame players as well as Carrick after humiliating 4-1 loss to Como

Manchester United’s senior leadership believe the players must share the blame for Tuesday’s 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como, with the club’s hierarchy reportedly stunned by the quality of the performance despite Carrick fielding a strong starting eleven.

Nico Paz set the tone inside two minutes, and although goalkeeper Senne Lammens kept the score respectable before the break, Cesc Fabregas’ side added two more after half-time — Paz assisting Anastasios Douvikas before grabbing his second of the night. The 22-year-old’s dominant display for the Serie A club stood in sharp contrast to Bruno Fernandes, who was played out of position and substituted in the 66th minute.

Fernandes was not alone in struggling. Andrey Santos was booked and withdrawn at half-time, while Mason Mount and Matthijs de Ligt were among those who looked out of their depth on the night. According to The Times, United’s hierarchy accept that the run of poor form reflects on the players and not solely on the head coach — though it is Carrick who remains under the most intense scrutiny, with the club having won just twice this season.

Carrick, for his part, insists he has not considered his own position. “Listen, I’ve not given my own position any thought,” he said. “It’s not about me right now and my feelings in that regard. It’s more about as a team and as a football club, what we want to look like, what we should look like. And as I said, the results can come and go at times, but you’ve got to do it in a certain way. And that wasn’t it.”

Fernandes added further fuel to the fire with pointed post-match comments about the tactical approach. “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 of the ball to these teams they get confidence,” the captain said. When asked directly whether Carrick had got it wrong, Fernandes stopped short of a full indictment: “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.”

The remarks echo a pattern of player comments following European defeats that have generated controversy at the club. Carrick was given the opportunity to respond to Fernandes’ assessment, though the full exchange was not available at the time of publication. With United’s season in serious danger of unravelling, the next fixture carries significant weight for both the coaching staff and a squad that can no longer deflect scrutiny.