Manchester United suffered a 4-1 defeat at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Wednesday, with Nicolás Paz scoring twice alongside goals from Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramón. Joshua Zirkzee scored a late consolation, but the result left United facing further questions about their performances and direction.
Fernandes, 32, was visibly frustrated after being substituted midway through the second half. Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, he explained how the decision to avoid consistent man-to-man pressing had affected United.
“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball by waiting for them,” Fernandes said. “But sometimes, when you give space to these teams, they get confidence.”
Asked whether head coach Michael Carrick had got his tactics wrong, the United captain stopped short of directly criticising his manager but made clear where he believed the responsibility lay.
“That’s on the manager and staff to see, not me,” Fernandes said. “Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable.”
The comments amount to a public questioning of the tactical approach at a difficult moment for United. Fernandes did not simply point to the opposition’s quality; his explanation suggested that a more aggressive approach could have prevented Como from settling into the match.
United had hoped to build on their performance in the draw at Leeds, but instead struggled to impose themselves in Italy. The scale of the defeat also raised questions about the team's intensity and defensive organisation, with Como repeatedly finding opportunities to attack.
Fernandes has not been the only senior United player to voice concerns in recent days. Lisandro Martínez reportedly criticised director of football Jason Wilcox’s recruitment following the defeat to Atlético Madrid, adding to the scrutiny surrounding the club.
The captain’s comments also came against the backdrop of Carrick accepting responsibility for the Como performance while questioning the effort shown by his players. The manager argued that tactical systems could not compensate for a failure to work hard enough on the pitch.
For Fernandes, however, the need to press higher and make opponents uncomfortable was a clear lesson from the defeat. His remarks leave the coaching staff with a challenge: finding a way to make United more aggressive without exposing the space behind their defensive line.
United return to Old Trafford to face Bournemouth on Sunday, when they will need a response after a European performance that has put both their tactics and their commitment under the spotlight.