Five things learned from Man Utd’s 4-1 defeat to Como

Manchester United’s winless run continues with a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como. The heaviest defeat yet under Michael Carrick.

Michael Carrick can’t seem to catch a break, and the pressure is mounting with each match. Tonight, Manchester United were nowhere near good enough. There’s no sugarcoating it.

Como took an early lead when star player Nico Paz opened the scoring in the third minute, immediately after Diogo Dalot sent an early shot wide. The Italian side looked more organised despite playing in third gear, and they continued to create the better chances before the interval.

United came out full of intent in the second half, but it only took Como a matter of minutes to double their lead. The Italians dominated the rest of the game at ease and went on to win 4-1, with Joshua Zirkzee scoring the only goal for the Reds after coming off the bench.

Como had a plan and looked organised; Man Utd didn’t

There were too many instances where United gave the ball away straight away. It didn’t help that Como kept possession comfortably throughout the match, before working like dogs if they lost it.

United didn’t have the same level of intensity, but it was also a lesson in terms of organisation. Carrick is limited in several positions, but the blueprint for the team Cesc Fabregas was evident in this game.

Of course, it helped the Italian side that United are nowhere near where they need to be right now – 11 games into the season.

Most teams look fitter than Man Utd

This was another match against an opponent United should be beating – on paper at least – where their players looked far fitter than ours. That has been evident since the beginning of the 2026/27 season.

It’s a major concern when it’s a trend rather than a one-off, but this United side will continue to struggle against teams if they’re unable to match their fitness. I’m already afraid it will be the same against Bournemouth on Sunday.

This has to be one of the biggest issues that needs to be addressed at Carrington.

Man Utd lost the midfield battle

Mason Mount was non-existent in the middle of the pitch after starting in midfield, and Andrey Santos failed to impact the game without having Carlos Baleba alongside him. Como were first to every ball, and United couldn’t get near them.

Santos came off at half-time and was replaced by Baleba. This brought a slight improvement, but that didn’t last long, as Como continued to dominate the midfield battle. Baleba also gave the ball away in the build-up to Paz’s second goal.

Como continued to breeze past United and pass the ball around the pitch at ease in the latter stages of the match. It was another humbling defeat for Carrick’s side, which still has big issues in midfield after being outplayed.

Bruno Fernandes’ body language

Bruno Fernandes didn’t look like he was in the right headspace on the pitch. Whether it’s a fitness issue or something else, he looked bemused coming off with under 25 minutes left on the clock.

It’s not helping the team to have Fernandes played out wide, especially when he’s best centrally. The Portuguese playmaker is also having to play in a team without a centre-forward due to Benjamin Sesko’s injury.

Either way, it doesn’t look like all is right with Fernandes at the moment. It’s becoming another worrying trend.

Man Utd fans leave game early

TNT Sports made a point about how many United fans left the stadium early. They had no cover over their stand and had to deal with torrential rainfall for the entire match.

It didn’t help that the performance from the players was so substandard. Those fans have spent their hard-earned money getting to and from Como tonight.

Some felt it would be best to spend the final minutes – or rest of the night – in a warm pub instead. Who could blame them?

Pressure x10 for Michael Carrick

Losing in such a fashion to a team enjoying their first Champions League campaign is embarrassing. To make matters worse, it means United have won just two of their first 11 games this season across all competitions.

Carrick will face big questions after losing 4-1 to Como. He knows responsibility has to be taken, but the blame must also be laid at Ineos’ door for leaving his squad so stretched. Not ensuring there was enough cover across defence and up front before a ball was kicked this season.

That doesn’t explain why United don’t look as fit as most of the teams they’ve come up against this season. They were short in every department against Como tonight.