'Not what a captain should be' - the debate around Fernandes' outburst

Bruno Fernandes' comments after Manchester United's humbling by Como have got fans and pundits talking - but what now for the captain?

United's 4-1 Champions League defeat in Italy was the result of a wretched performance and Fernandes questioned boss Michael Carrick's tactics.

"It's a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confidence," said the Portugal attacking midfielder on TNT Sports.

Asked if Carrick got his tactics wrong, the 32-year-old continued: "That's on the manager and staff to see it, not me."

Are these the actions of a captain?

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Not according to former Liverpool vice-captain Jamie Carragher, working as a summariser, on CBS Sports.

"He's reacted like that because he's been embarrassed by the manager [who] brought him off," said the ex-England defender.

"And when he talks about pressing, whether it's man-to-man or zonal, for years, Bruno Fernandes has meant Manchester United can't press because he does things for the crowd.

"He runs all over the place like a kid in the schoolyard for the supporters. They all think he's working hard. He's not. He's killing the rest of the team doing it."

He added: "Watching him throw his arms up every week in a game is an absolute disgrace [and] calling the manager out considering how he's performed this season on the pitch.

"[It's an] awful attitude and not what a Manchester United captain should be."

Fernandes' comments come a week after defender Lisandro Martinez made similar headlines following United's previous Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid.

The Argentine said he expected more investment in the squad and "more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]". He later apologised.

And while Martinez's outburst sparked debate, Fernandes' comments could have even larger repercussions.

Carrick, who was under huge pressure already following a terrible start to the season, said in reply: "There's a little bit of whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don't run, and you don't run forward, and you don't run back, you aren't going to win."

United have not won in their past seven games since beating Champions League minnows Sabah. They have just one win in their seven Premier League games this season.

'He should not be saying these things'

Not many people have defended Fernandes' public questioning of the tactics.

But some do understand his frustrations.

Former Leicester and Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel, whose dad Peter won the Champions League, five Premier League titles and three FA Cups as a United player, said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Given last week and what's happened, he probably should not be saying these things because it's only going to add to the problems.

"With experience you learn that you need to keep these things in-house. It's a problem, with everything that happened during the week.

"Michael Carrick didn't need this, the club didn't need this. It's exposing all of the issues that are at Manchester United.

"It's very plain to see that there are loads of issues but you need to be fixing them, you need to be having meetings within the club, which I'm sure that they are, but it's obviously not resolved. It's just translating on to the pitch."

The issue that most pundits have is not that Fernandes has these opinions - but that he has let the world know them.

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock, speaking on BBC Match of the Day, said: "I think there will be ex-players now from Manchester United saying, 'why are you letting this get out, this should be a collective in the changing room where we come together'.

"Whether you like the manager or not, you've got to come together and say 'OK how do we correct this?'

"Senior players go to the manager and say 'listen we didn't agree with the tactics, we didn't think we got it right, how do we go about this, how do we move forward', because you start airing it in public and it doesn't end well for anyone."

Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole on TNT Sports called it "sacrilege".

"I've played for managers where I don't agree with the tactics but you might say that to your mate or to your wife. You don't come out as captain of the club and question the manager," he said.