Man Utd Morning Round-Up, Thursday 22nd October 2026: Carrick's Future in Doubt After Humiliating Como Defeat
Manchester United's Champions League trip to Italy turned into a nightmare as they were thrashed 4-1 by Como, with Nico Paz among those to shine for the hosts, as BBC Sport and ManUtd.com detailed (BBC Sport) (BBC Sport) (ManUtd.com) (ManUtd.com) (ManUtd.com). The result has left Michael Carrick's position under serious scrutiny, with Manchester Evening News and BBC Sport both examining whether he can survive given the club's ominous run of fixtures (Manchester Evening News) (Sky Sports) (Manchester Evening News). One fan even told BBC Sport it "feels like the end" for the head coach, while others shared mixed views on whether he should stay (BBC Sport) (BBC Sport). Carrick himself apologised to the travelling supporters after the game (ManUtd.com), and when asked directly, addressed the idea of walking away from the job, according to Manchester Evening News (Manchester Evening News). The Guardian described an "angry" Carrick as being on the brink (The Guardian).
The defeat has also exposed a rift in the camp. Bruno Fernandes reportedly criticised a "decision from the staff" not to press, while Carrick pointed the finger back at his players, as covered by Sky Sports and The Guardian (Sky Sports) (The Guardian). BBC Sport reported that Carrick has since responded to his captain's comments on tactics (BBC Sport), while Jamie Carragher didn't hold back, branding Fernandes an "absolute disgrace" for his outburst, per Manchester Evening News (Manchester Evening News). Youri Tielemans added his voice too, telling ManUtd.com the squad "have to fight as players" and separately accusing the dressing room of lacking effort, according to Manchester Evening News (ManUtd.com) (Manchester Evening News). Pundits Nedum Onuoha and Stephen Warnock were also critical of the display on Match of the Day, via BBC Sport (BBC Sport), and Manchester Evening News suggested Carrick shouldn't be the only one feeling the heat (Manchester Evening News).
Away from the fallout, Manchester Evening News reports United are also eyeing reinforcements at left-back, with Antonio Conte said to have laid out his own conditions amid the links (Manchester Evening News). On the injury front, Evening Standard provided updates on Marcus Rashford, Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo as United continue to manage fitness concerns (Evening Standard). There was better news for the women's team, who beat Liverpool 5-3, with ManUtd.com sharing the match report and highlights (ManUtd.com) (ManUtd.com).
This round-up is written with the help of AI, using only the day's headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.