Carrick apologises after Manchester United’s heavy defeat by Como

“It is unacceptable,” Michael Carrick said as he apologised to the supporters after Manchester United’s 4-1 defeat by Como in the Champions League. The manager acknowledged the severity of the loss and did not try to play it down.

After the match, Carrick said the performance had fallen short of the club’s demands. He did not single out individual players or point to circumstances to excuse the result; instead, he called for everyone to accept responsibility. He also regretted that supporters who had devoted time and effort to travelling to the game had ended up with such a disappointing evening.

The match swung Como’s way early. After Nico Paz scored in the second minute, Manchester United could not mount a response. Como led 3-0 by the 57th minute, with a goal from Tasos Douvikas and Paz’s second. Jacobo Ramón then scored Como’s final goal in the 76th minute. The match finished 4-1.

The result comes amid a difficult spell for United: the defeat, in the team’s third Champions League group game, left them with only two wins from 11 matches this season. Carrick’s side are 13th in the Premier League and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup last month.

The impact of the loss was also apparent after the final whistle. Carrick went to apologise to around 200 supporters who remained, without turning to his players. He told them: “The fans mean an enormous amount to me. They are the heart of this club and always will be. After they had travelled to watch us, I felt I had to apologise for what we put out on the pitch.”

Asked about his position, Carrick said he had not given his own future any thought. He stressed that the priority was to take in how the match unfolded and understand what had led to such a poor performance. During the game, Bruno Fernandes openly challenged his manager’s strategy. Carrick also criticised his team for not running enough.