Michael Carrick and Bruno Fernandes drive home at 12.30am as Man United’s captain is called an ‘absolute disgrace’ – but boss faces the sack, says Jamie Carragher
Manchester United’s forlorn players and staff returned back to Manchester and drove home in the rain in the early hours of Thursday morning as the latest storm builds momentum at the club.
The Red Devils were thrashed 4-1 at Como in the Champions League on Wednesday evening – in what will be the latter’s greatest-ever European display.
It proved a night to forget for United too as their winless run in all competitions now stretches to seven games – with their last win a 4-0 victory over Sabah on September 10.
Michael Carrick and Bruno Fernandes were both pictured driving away from Manchester airport at around 12.30am with the head coach and captain at the heart of the latest difference of public opinion.
Goalkeeper Senne Lammens and midfielder Mason Mount, who both started in Italy too, were also pictured driving to their homes in the damp conditions.
A week after Lisandro Martinez’s damning comments about the club’s hierarchy, Fernandes’ remarks have sharpened the focus on Carrick’s tenure after he questioned his tactics in Como post-match, in particular their lack of a man-to-man press.
Under-fire Michael Carrick was pictured driving home from Manchester Airport in the early hours of Thursday following their humiliating 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como
Bruno Fernandes’ comments about Carrick’s tactics post-match have heaped pressure on the head coach and also seen the United captain come under-fire for making his views so public
Reacting to Fernandes’ comments, CBS Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was in shock at what he heard – brandiing ‘awful attitude’ Fernandes a ‘disgrace’ and declaring his actions as ‘not what a Manchester United captain should be’.
‘We said Lisandro 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.
‘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.
‘Years ago, there was a captain called Bryan Robson, one of the greatest players to ever play for Man United because he played for the club, he didn’t throw the manager or the players under the bus.
‘He kept fighting for Manchester United and watching him throw his arms up every week in a game is an absolute disgrace, calling the manager out considering how he’s performed this season on the pitch.
‘Awful attitude and not what a Manchester United captain should be.’
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