Michael Carrick remains in charge as pressure mounts after Manchester United's 4-1 Como defeat
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick remains in charge but faces pressure after a 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como, with captain Bruno Fernandes appearing to question his tactics.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Manchester United are under renewed pressure after a 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como, a result that has left manager Michael Carrick in charge but facing serious questions about his future. United's winless run now stands at seven matches, and they have won only two games this season. The loss came eight days after another European defeat, to Atletico Madrid, who scored inside the first minute.
Como, playing in their first Champions League season, took the lead after 118 seconds through Nico Paz. The Italian side, who were in Italy's fourth tier as recently as 2019, went on to score four times. Joshua Zirkzee's 90th-minute goal spared United the humiliation of a joint-heaviest Champions League defeat. Heavy rain in Como had threatened to postpone the match, and United fans may have wished it had.
Carrick apologised to travelling supporters, walking onto the pitch and holding up his hands. He said the performance was unacceptable and that responsibility stopped with him. "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," he said. "The way we went about it tonight was unacceptable and I just got to let the fans know that I feel for them, for sure."
Captain Bruno Fernandes also faced backlash after appearing to question Carrick's tactics in a post-match interview. Fernandes, who was substituted in the second half, said the manager and staff had to look at it and that sometimes the team needed to be more brave under pressure. Carrick did not sound impressed by that intervention.
The result has revived questions about the club's direction. United have not won in seven games and have gone through seven full-time managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Five months ago Carrick was cheered by fans after guiding United to third in the table. Last week defender Lisandro Martinez criticised the club's lack of investment. Some fans feel the board should share the blame, while others question whether Carrick should have been given the job in the summer.
Carrick will remain in charge for Sunday's game against Bournemouth, and is expected to face tough questioning at a press conference before that match. For Como, the night was a landmark. For United, it was another reminder of how far they have fallen.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| Como defeated Manchester United 4-1 in the Champions League. | ||
| Manchester United had not won in seven games. | ||
| Only on one channel | ||
| Bruno Fernandes appeared to question Michael Carrick's strategy in a post-match interview. | Not reported by ITV | |
| Como were in Italy's fourth tier as recently as 2019. | Not reported by BBC One | |
| Joshua Zirkzee scored for Manchester United in the 90th minute. | Not reported by BBC One | |
| Michael Carrick was reported to be under increasing pressure following United's 4-1 loss to Como. | Reported by BBC One | Not reported by ITV |
| Michael Carrick will remain in charge for the Bournemouth match. | Not reported by BBC One | |
| Nico Paz scored for Como in the second minute. | Not reported by BBC One | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The late ITV bulletin treated the match as a humiliation for United and a landmark for Como, dwelling on Como's rise from Italy's fourth tier and their first Champions League season. It also highlighted the heavy rain that nearly postponed the game and Nico Paz's early goal, while giving less space to the boardroom and fan fallout that dominated later coverage. Carrick's own admission that responsibility stops with him was included, but the report ended on United's fall from grace.
- “Como embarrassed and humbled were three times champions of Europe, Manchester United winning 4-1.”
- “Just two minutes in, Como's star Nico Paz scored.”
- “For Man United, it's just another reminder of how far they've fallen.”
BBC's lunchtime bulletin focused on the fallout around Michael Carrick and captain Bruno Fernandes rather than the match details. It framed the defeat as one of United's worst European performances and used fan interviews to spread blame towards the board, while also noting Carrick's earlier success and the club's long run of managerial change. The report gave less attention to Como's background and the goals.
- “Manchester United's manager, Michael Carrick, is under growing pressure after his side was beaten 4-1 in the Champions League match against the Italian side, Como.”
- “I just said that I think sometimes you have to be more brave and under pressure.”
- “He's not been backed by the board.”
The evening bulletin led on whether Carrick can survive, reporting that he remains in charge for now and will face the media before Sunday's game against Bournemouth. It stressed the speed of Como's opening goal, United's recent record against Atletico Madrid and the club's poor start, while capturing fan anger at Old Trafford. The tone was urgent and focused on the immediate managerial question rather than the match as a spectacle.
- “Well, Michael Carrick is still the man in charge here at Old Trafford tonight.”
- “But the key question on everyone's lips is can he survive?”
- “We understand Michael Carrick will still be in charge for that game”
Who was on air
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- 22:26 BST
Broadcast Timeline
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