Bruno Fernandes has urged those at and around Manchester United to accept that the club’s glory days are long behind it as he doubled down on his criticism after the 4-1 defeat to Como.
A bruised United were 1-0 down in the opening two minutes of Wednesday’s Champions League clash and it went from bad to worse as the evening unfolded, with head coach Michael Carrick holding up his hands in apology at the end to the few remaining travelling supporters.
Captain Fernandes then launched into a tirade in his post-match interview criticising Carrick’s tactical decisions, with the head coach offering a pointed rebuttal, saying, “If you don't run, and you don't run forward, and you don't run back, you aren’t going to win”.
Fernandes has since come under fire from several pundits and commentators including Jamie Carragher, who called his comments “disgraceful”.
But the Portuguese doubled down on his comments, telling Sky: “Everyone at the club has to understand that it's not the same anymore, we're not in the past anymore and we have to look to the future.
“We have to create something different in the present. In this club we focus too much on what has been done in the past, but we are no longer those [players]. The club and the players need to understand that.
“Unfortunately for us, especially with regard to the players, those who come [to United] think about winning trophies, matches and reaching the highest level but unfortunately it has been very difficult in this club in recent years. That's the situation."
United have gone seven games without a win in all competitions and sit 20th in the Champions League table after three rounds of fixtures, while they have already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup and are 13th in the Premier League.
Carrick, when asked to respond to Fernandes’ comments, said: “I disagree with him, but right now we are a long way from that level.
“When we arrived in January [Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim and led United to a third-placed top-flight finish] we scored more points than everyone else until the end of the championship, so this team showed that they could get good results over a long period of time.
“But we have to do much better after this start to the season.”
Read MoreThe damning reality of Michael Carrick’s diabolical Man United
Cesc Fabregas admits telling Como to ‘slow down’ in thrashing of Man United
Bruno Fernandes turning on Michael Carrick exposes Man United’s unavoidable truth
