Manchester United’s 4-1 defeat to Como in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, exposed several weaknesses in Michael Carrick’s side, with Andrey Santos, Diogo Dalot, Matheus Cunha and Noussair Mazraoui among the players who struggled to make a positive impact.

According to a report by BBC Sport on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, United were undone by defensive problems and missed opportunities as Como secured an emphatic victory.

Nico Paz opened the scoring in the second minute before providing an assist for Anastasios Douvikas to make it 2-0 after the break.

Paz subsequently scored his second goal of the night, while Jacobo Ramon added a fourth. Joshua Zirkzee scored a late consolation for the visitors.

Andrey Santos struggled to provide the defensive protection Manchester United needed in midfield. The Brazilian received a yellow card in the 25th minute and found it difficult to disrupt Como’s attacking movements consistently.

Carrick substituted him at half-time, introducing Carlos Baleba in an attempt to improve the team’s midfield balance.

Diogo Dalot also endured a frustrating outing. The Portuguese defender missed an early opportunity in the second minute after receiving a pass inside the penalty area, sending his effort narrowly wide.

He subsequently struggled to deliver accurate crosses and provide the attacking quality required to trouble Como’s defence.

Matheus Cunha failed to make a significant impact before the interval. The Brazilian committed several fouls and missed an opportunity to get United back into the contest when his curling effort from the edge of the penalty area sailed over the crossbar after a pass from Bruno Fernandes.

Carrick replaced Cunha at half-time, introducing Amad Diallo in search of greater creativity and attacking penetration.

Noussair Mazraoui was another player who struggled to influence proceedings. The Moroccan defender failed to provide consistent attacking support from the flanks, while an inaccurate cross late in the first half highlighted United’s problems with their final delivery.

Although Mazraoui was not directly linked to any of Como’s four goals in the available match account, his limited attacking contribution reflected the difficulties experienced by the team.