Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has questioned the team's defensive approach after their slow start against Como, saying the decision not to press opponents man-to-man sometimes allows them too much space to exploit.

Fernandes spoke after Manchester United secured a 4-1 victory over Como, despite conceding an early goal. The midfielder admitted that the team had struggled to impose themselves at the beginning of the match, with insufficient pressure on the ball and poor movements in possession contributing to their difficulties.

According to the Portuguese international, Manchester United's approach of allowing opponents to have the ball while waiting for opportunities to regain possession can give technically gifted teams the confidence to attack.

"It's a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, wait for them, but sometimes when you give space to these teams they get confidence," Fernandes said in an interview with TNT Sports.

The midfielder explained that United needed to take more risks by pressing higher up the pitch and putting opponents under pressure rather than allowing them time to build their attacks.

He pointed to Como's defensive approach as an example, noting that one of their centre-backs followed him into his own half, demonstrating the level of aggression United could adopt when attempting to disrupt an opponent's rhythm. "We need to do that as a team but we were unable to," he added.

Fernandes, however, declined to directly blame manager Michael Carrick for the tactical decisions, insisting that evaluating the team's approach was the responsibility of the coaching staff. "That's on the manager and staff to see, not me," he said.

The United captain also warned that teams capable of combining through the middle can cause significant problems when given too much time and space, particularly when they can subsequently exploit the wider areas.

Despite the criticism, Manchester United finished the encounter with a convincing 4-1 victory, giving the coaching staff an opportunity to assess the defensive weaknesses that contributed to their early setback.

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