Manchester United suffered a chastening 4-1 defeat at the hands of Champions League debutants Como on Wednesday evening, leaving Michael Carrick's future as manager in serious doubt. The Red Devils were outclassed by the Italian side, who battered Carrick's underperforming stars in a one-sided European encounter.
United's winless run now extends to seven matches, with the team devoid of confidence and appearing to have downed tools altogether. The defeat came in the latest leg of their ill-fated European return, as torrential rain battered the banks of the famous Italian lake while Carrick stood on the touchline watching the storm clouds gather.
Midfield Rebuild Fails to Deliver
Carrick had splashed out on a midfield rebuild over the summer, signing Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos as they hoped to spearhead a title charge. The latter pair started in Northern Italy but were bypassed with embarrassing ease as the Como midfield waltzed past them with each and every attack.
United's press was half-hearted at best, allowing the hosts to slice through them with ease. Nico Paz gave Bruno Fernandes a footballing lesson so brutal that the United star was hooked for Joshua Zirkzee, who added some respectability to the scoreline.
Tactical Change Backfires
Carrick knew something had to change at half-time, and his response was to introduce Baleba and swap to a back three. It opened the floodgates. Nico Paz, who had scored in the second minute, turned provider before notching his second, while Matthijs de Ligt hit the self destruct button and kept Como's attackers onside, allowing Jacobo Ramon to power his header home.
Carrick, ahead of the game, said he had no fear over his job, but such a humbling defeat should have him looking in a mirror. United are approaching two months since their last competitive win, their opening Champions League success against minnows Sabah.
Winless Run Continues
In the resulting seven matches, Carrick's side have been beaten four times while being held on three occasions. If it's not the end, it feels like the beginning of it, and that shot of Carrick in the Italian rain might prove to be the defining image of his United legacy.
Carrick looks set to be the latest to fail to return the Red Devils to their former glory, leaving the question of where INEOS and the Glazer family go from here.
