Champions League: Fabregas’s Como thrash Manchester United 4-1 as Carrick apologises

Nico Paz scored after 118 seconds, in the rain on the shore of Lake Como, and Wednesday night at the Sinigaglia belonged to the home club: Como 4-1 Manchester United, a third Champions League fixture for a side that was in Serie D as recently as 2008.

Paz at the double, United silent for an hour

The timeline is one-sided: Paz, 22 and a former Real Madrid player, opens the scoring in the second minute and adds the third goal in the 57th, either side of setting up Anastasios Douvikas in the 49th. Ramon heads the fourth in the 76th from a Kaiki cross, and Zirkzee pulls one back late on.

United’s first shot on target came after an hour of play, already three goals down, and at half-time they had 64 per cent of the ball and no shot on target.

Fabregas’s dedication, Carrick’s apology

“We know the history of our club. Obviously, I hope that tomorrow all the boys and girls go to school wearing the Como shirt and feel proud,” Cesc Fabregas told ESPN. Paz, man of the match, called it one of the most beautiful nights of his career. Ninth in the league phase after two wins in three, including a 4-1 against RB Leipzig, the club’s first European campaign is up and running. Five seasons have taken Como from Fabregas’s arrival as a player in Serie B to the Champions League.

In the visiting dressing room, Bruno Fernandes pushed the tactical question towards the bench, calling for more courage under pressure and a higher line. In front of the 700 travelling supporters, Michael Carrick did not dispute the picture: “I have to apologise to the supporters […] For us to play in that way is not acceptable.” On his own future, he said he had given it no thought.

The table completes it: two wins in 11 matches, 13th in the Premier League, three points above bottom club Sunderland, and seven games without a victory. According to BBC Sport, the club has already started identifying possible replacements, with Eddie Howe, free since Newcastle, Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann the names in circulation. For Sky Sports the responsibility sits well above the bench: the Glazer family has cost the club more than £2 billion across twenty years, and the ownership model is under question. “They are not special any more,” wrote chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol.

On Sunday, Old Trafford hosts Bournemouth, 15th, who won 3-0 on their last two visits before last season’s 4-4, with Michael Carrick expected on the bench.