The 4-1 defeat in Como leaves Carrick “angry”

The 4-1 defeat in Como left Michael Carrick “angry”, in his own words. For United, the result adds to a run of difficulties, while captain Bruno Fernandes has criticised the coach’s tactical plan. This week, it was Fernandes who voiced his concerns.

Thursday marked exactly five months since Man Utd announced that Carrick would remain as head coach. But the anniversary offered little reason to celebrate the morning after what he described as his worst night in the role.

United’s lack of intensity is presented as a major problem. Carrick put it this way: “If you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win.” Fernandes, meanwhile, has been involved in just one goal across his last nine games for the club. Sky Sports says his dip is part of a wider problem in attack. The team have taken more shots than any other side this season, yet rank among the lowest for average chance quality; United’s forwards too often produce speculative efforts rather than substantial threats.

Carrick is still searching for the right midfield combination. Several pairings have been tried in front of the defence, and Carlos Baleba, who is working his way back to fitness, could be part of the answer. Up front, Benjamin Sesko’s continued absence through injury and the lack of another specialist striker have left United without a focal point. Fernandes played as a false nine on Wednesday, without success. The defence, meanwhile, has yet to keep a clean sheet this season.

Sky Sports says United are enduring their worst-ever Premier League start and that the defeat in Como leaves them seven games without a win across all competitions. That is a sharp contrast with the strong end to last season, which persuaded the club to keep Carrick until 2028. Under his leadership, the team scored more than any other during the final 17 matches.

United's £163 million expenditure was surpassed by Hull City, Ipswich Town and a further seven Premier League clubs. Carrick also had to manage the shift from 40 games last season to Champions League football, while trying to improve on the team’s third-place league finish. Concerns about the heavier workload were compounded by Youri Tielemans’s remarks about a lighter pre-season running load. Sky Sports also reports that Fernandes’s chance creation has halved this season, after he broke the assists record last season.