Jamie Carragher has ripped into Bruno Fernandes for “killing” Manchester United after his “disgraceful” criticism of Michael Carrick’s tactics following their 4-1 defeat to Como.
The Serie A side put the visitors to the sword in the Champions League as Nico Paz (two), Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramón were on target for Cesc Fabregas’ side.
Just a week on from Lisandro Martinez taking aim at technical director Jason Wilcox for his work in the transfer window, Fernandes had a pop at Carrick in his post-match press conference.
Fernandes said: “It’s a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, wait for them, but sometimes when you give space to these teams they get confidence.”
On whether he is saying Michael Carrick got his tactics wrong: “That’s on the manager and staff to see, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable. As you saw with them [Como], the centre-back was coming to mark me in my own half. We need to do that as a team but we were unable to.
“A team that plays through the middle with small connections, if you give them too much time and space then they can hurt you out wide.”
READ: Carrick sack coming and he should take Bruno Fernandes with him as Man Utd destroyed by Como
After admitting his side’s performance was “unacceptable” in his post-match interview, Carrick told reporters in his press conference that Fernandes’ comments weren’t accurate, before taking aim at his players for “not running”.
Carrick said: “We actually half-pressed man-to-man the second half and then conceded a goal from that.
“And there’s a little bit on whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run, and you don’t run forward, and you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win.”
Carragher was furious with Fernandes, insisting he’s the reason no Man Utd team has been able to press effectively since he’s been there.
“We said Lasandro Martínez was bang out of order last week for calling out the hierarchy above him. For Bruno Fernandes to do that is a disgrace really,” Carragher said on CBS Sports.
“When you think about last season, he got player of the year. That was on the back of Michael Carrick becoming the manager. He wouldn’t have got that award without Michael Carrick, because Michael Carrick put him back in his rightful position and he then went on to have a fantastic season because he’s a talented footballer. But when you think of him as a footballer, he’s a talent, but in terms of attitude and the way he goes about things, it’s not right at all.
“And he’s reacted like that because he’s been brought off and he’s been embarrassed tonight by the manager as he brought him off. And when he talks about pressing, whether it’s man to man or zonal, for years, Bruno Fernandes has meant Manchester United can’t press because he does things for the crowd.
“I commentate on games watching Man United and he runs all over the place like a kid in the schoolyard for the supporters. They all think he’s working hard — he’s not. He’s killing the rest of the team doing it.”
The mauling at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium was the fifth defeat in 11 games for Carrick’s side this season and Carragher admits that a change of manager is required, but he also praised the Red Devils boss for his work last season and was pleased he bit back at Fernandes in his press conference.
Carragher added: “Isn’t it funny? How many managers has he had, Bruno Fernandes? So every single manager at Manchester United doesn’t have an identity? How many managers are we on now for Bruno Fernandes? Five? They change the manager every season… Manchester United is rotten from top to bottom.
“I said earlier on, it’s not about the manager. It’s everything about the club. And who has got the answers? We comment on it all the time, ‘they might need to change the manager or do this, do that.’ Are we ever right really? Because no one ever seems to get it right. But listen, there’s no doubt the manager needs to be changed now. Right now this can’t go on for a club of the stature of Manchester United.
“But I’m glad Michael Carrick come out and just said that about Bruno Fernandes, that he don’t run, because they don’t run, this team.
“And what he did last season, no one’s proclaiming Michael Carrick as one of the greatest managers in European football, but what he did was he come and helped his own football club last year when he was out of work himself. He’s come in and he did amazing.
“And the reason Manchester United are in the Champions League is because of Carrick — he got them in there. The reason they got another 100, 150 million pounds into the club is because he got them in. No one thought he was going to get into the Champions League last season. So I feel for him a little bit. He loves the club, he’s a legendary figure as a player, but obviously it’s not working out for him as a manager and that needs to be changed.
“But I’m delighted he brought him off, Fernandes, and I’m delighted that he had a little pop back there in the press because that’s what they need some of those players.”
