Bruno Fernandes has told Manchester United that they must stop living off the club’s past glories after Wednesday night’s humiliating 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.

The result extended United’s winless run to seven matches in all competitions and piled even more pressure on Michael Carrick.

Fernandes, clearly frustrated after another damaging performance, believes the club needs to focus on building something new rather than constantly comparing the current team with successful United sides of previous generations.

Fernandes tells Man United to look forward

Speaking to Sky Sport Italia after the defeat, Fernandes delivered a direct message about the mentality surrounding Old Trafford.

Bruno Fernandes: “Everyone at the club should understand that we are NO longer in the past”.

“We should look at the future, not at the past”, told Sky Italy.

His comments came after United were comprehensively outplayed by Cesc Fabregas’ Como side. Nico Paz scored twice as the Italian club exposed serious defensive and tactical weaknesses, while Joshua Zirkzee’s late goal did little more than make the scoreline slightly less embarrassing.

Fernandes also questioned United’s approach without the ball after the game, arguing that the team needed to be braver when pressing.

Sky Sports reported that Carrick responded by insisting intensity and effort were equally important regardless of the tactical system.

Fernandes is right but the present is the real problem

Fernandes’ message is difficult to argue with.

Man United have spent years measuring every new team against the standards set by Sir Alex Ferguson, but nostalgia does not fix recruitment, tactics or performances.

The bigger issue is whether the current United side is actually building towards a better future.

Against Como, there was little evidence of progress. United lacked organisation, struggled to press effectively and were repeatedly exposed when possession was lost.

Carrick can point towards effort, while Fernandes can question the tactical plan, but both arguments ultimately lead to the same conclusion: United remain badly short of the level expected.

Fernandes is therefore right that the club cannot keep living in the past. But Manchester United supporters will also want to know exactly what the future is supposed to look like.

At the moment, that answer remains worryingly unclear.