ONE OF the chants from the dozens left in the away end in Como was, “If Zirkzee scores, we’re in the lake.”
Joshua Zirkzee did score and an intrepid Manchester United fan had a post-match dip in Lake Como.
There were no boos and no chorus of “You’re not fit to wear the shirt”. United supporters have ticked those off. They are now such veterans of these spirals they settled for gallows humour in Italy.
Those left clapped Michael Carrick out of politeness and etiquette. They appreciate the great days Carrick gave them as a player and enjoyed the four-month honeymoon period of last season.
United matchgoers were practically forced into booing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a club legend, to have him removed in November 2021. They do not want to stoop to such drastic measures with another garlanded former player.
But no United supporter believes Carrick should stay. The mistake the club made was to continue with Carrick beyond the elongated international break when he had passed the point of no return in the capitulation against Brighton.
Yes, it was the League Cup and the team was heavily rotated but the manner of that loss – United’s first at Old Trafford from 2-0 up since September 1976 – compounded a woeful start to the Premier League season.
Those of us in the press box could see it coming. Three weeks without a game cooled the heat on Carrick, the Manchester City story broke and, for the first time in aeons, United were not the crisis club in the city.
But then the football restarted and United have regained their status as the country’s crisis club.
United have never truly recovered from that opening weekend humbling by Hull. Almost every game since has been laden with glaring selection or tactical errors by Carrick and supporters have become more vocal in questioning him.
At his pre-match press conference in Como, Carrick was adamant he had the players onside, citing their aptitude in the recent seay games at Atletico Madrid and Leeds United. He had a point.
That is why he found the humiliation in Como so difficult to stomach. The “togetherness” Carrick had spoken about less than 24 hours earlier was totally absent.
Carrick remonstrated with Matheus Cunha in the first half and Cunha was hooked at half-time. Cunha’s spikiness can be an asset but he has not channelled it productively this season and Carrick visibly despaired at his attitude.
Bruno Fernandes did not acknowledge his manager when he walked back to the dugout.
Fernandes exited the pitch on the far side and took a longer way round to the bench. Carrick was stood the furthest point away but the fact that they did not interact felt more significant after Fernandes threw Carrick under the bus in his post-match interview.
Carrick, informed that Fernandes had questioned his tactics by this correspondent, was not as political as when made aware of Lisandro Martinez’s outburst last week.
“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.” Fernandes was playing walking football. He downed tools.
All the fallout from Man Utd's horror night in Europe
MANCHESTER UNITED's 4-1 defeat to Como could be the final blow to under pressure boss Michael Carrick. Here's all the fallout from the horror night...
Man Utd lose 4-1 to Como –
Bruno Fernandes after the match
That came after at being subbed
Man Utd of the stadium early
Who was to blame? Check out our
Man Utd set a in just the second minute
Ryan Giggs in the stands
Carrick totally ignored his players at full-time. He did that up at Newcastle in March following his first defeat. The feeling was different then. Carrick was appalled that United meandered to a defeat against ten men.
On Wednesday night, the distance between coach and players was metaphorical and literal. Carrick did not care to be associated with them.
Were they still playing for him? “Shouldn’t be me,” Carrick said. “It’s not about playing for me, it’s about playing for this football club.
“It’s the responsibility that comes with whether I’m in the position,
“I’m responsible for the football club and the supporters, I’m giving my best, absolute best all the time, I care about it. My whole life’s wrapped around it.
“Listen, it might go well, it might not go so well, but I genuinely give everything I can I that I possibly can.
“It’s really not about me and the relationship, it’s about what we all give: players, staff, for this football club.”
Fernandes and Martinez can be released next year and should be. Fernandes appears demoralised and demotivated while Martinez’s appalling injury record put his future in doubt before he called out the hierarchy in Madrid.
Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw may also be let go. United need to be that bold. But Carrick will be gone before them.
After Jacobo Ramon nodded in Como’s fourth goal, Carrick summoned the 19-year-old left back Harry Amass. Seven minutes later, he sent on Shea Lacey.
Amass and Lacey are callow youngsters whose long-term futures may or may not lie at United. It was tantamount to throwing in the towel.
The last time the pair were both sent on was against Sabah on September 10, with United 4-0 up. That was the last time United won.
Unlike that fan in the lake, United are drowning.
