Paul Scholes has told Bruno Fernandes he needs to leave European football after the Manchester United captain questioned manager Michael Carrick's tactics last week after their defeat at Como.

United were beaten 4-1 in the Champions League last Wednesday and Fernandes criticised the decision not to press man-to-man against the Italian side, saying that this allowed their opponents to grow in confidence.

Asked whether Carrick had got things wrong tactically, the 32-year-old midfielder said: ‘That’s on the manager and staff to see it, not me.’

Fernandes, who was dropped by Carrick for the Bournemouth match at the weekend, has been slammed by Scholes for what the United legend called 'unforgivable' comments.

‘What Bruno Fernandes said last week, I think that’s unforgivable,’ Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

‘How can Bruno Fernandes be trusted to be captain of any team he ever goes to now?

‘I think he probably needs to get away from European football and just go to Saudi, just get out the way.

‘I don’t think any manager, any member of staff can trust him after that.’

Fernandes has consistently been one of United's best players since he joined the club from Sporting Lisbon in 2020, but has seen his form dip this season.

After breaking the Premier League assists record with 21 last season, he’s managed just one against Ipswich this term, while three of his four goals also came against the newly-promoted side, with the other coming against Champions League minnows Sabah.

Scholes' podcast partner Nicky Butt has now claimed that Fernandes has jeopardised his legacy with these latest comments.

Butt said: 'We sing his praises for his abilities, he’s been the only player for the last 12, 13 years that’s gone: “I know what it means to play for this football club and I’m good enough to play football and I’m going to carry it on my shoulders and I’m going to lead it.

'I’m going to score goals. I’m going to create. I’m not leaving. I’m staying. I’m fighting the fight.” And he’s killed himself in one interview. Stupid.’

It isn't the first time that Scholes has been critical of Fernandes' conduct on his podcast, telling him to 'keep your mouth shut' after the United captain attacked his own side’s display in their defeat at Hull City in their first game of the season.

In a similar interview to last week's, Fernandes accused United of making the 'same mistakes as we did last season' away from home after they opened the campaign with a shock 2-0 defeat at the MKM Stadium.

He added: 'Every away game, we give too much of the ball to them. In the first 20 minutes, the goalkeeper was the one with the most touches.

'We needed to press more, be more aggressive, and then, again, we need to work on set-plays and not concede these types of goals. Against these types of teams, they are waiting for that moment.'

Scholes criticised Fernandes for speaking out following the midfielder’s poor personal performance, as well as questioning what mistakes he was highlighting.

'I’d be interested to know what he means by them,' Scholes said.

'What mistakes were they giving away? Especially when you perform the way he did as well, I think it’s probably to keep your mouth shut. He didn’t have his best performance either.'

Scholes also criticised Luke Shaw, who said United 'could prepare better' for the contest 'especially knowing how good they are at set-plays and what their dangers are'.

Accusing Shaw of undermining Carrick, Scholes said: 'Luke Shaw always says something. And that’s a slight on your staff. That’s a slight on your manager. If one of your players is saying that, you’d be like: ‘F****** hell.’ You’d have them in on Monday morning.

'Those comments are not so much about respect. But you speak about fear of managers and the things they’ve said, they’re a slight on the manager and staff. As a player, if we did that about Sir Alex (Ferguson) – ‘We weren’t prepared’ – f****** hell, you’d be right in and he’d probably single you out in front of the full team.'

United confirmed today that under-fire boss Carrick will be given the chance to turn the club's season around amid a dire run of results that has seen them slip to 16th in the Premier League, one point clear of the relegation zone.

United travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, where Carrick will be desperately hoping that his players can finally pick up their first three points since Ipswich at the end of August.