Bruno Fernandes has committed “sacrilege” by questioning the tactics of Michael Carrick after their 4-1 defeat to Como on Wednesday.

The Serie A side put the visitors to the sword in the Champions League as Nico Paz (two), Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramón were on target for Cesc Fabregas’ side.

And after Lisandro Martinez broke ranks last week to condemn technical director Jason Wilcox’s efforts in the transfer market, captain Fernandes claimed Carrick got the tactics wrong in another astonishing post-match interview.

Fernandes said: “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.”

On whether he is saying Michael Carrick got his tactics wrong: “That’s on the manager and staff to see, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable. As you saw with them [Como], the centre-back was coming to mark me in my own half. We need to do that as a team but we were unable to.

“A team that plays through the middle with small connections, if you give them too much time and space then they can hurt you out wide.”

After admitting his side’s performance was “unacceptable” in his post-match interview, Carrick told reporters in his press conference that Fernandes’ comments weren’t accurate, before taking aim at his players for “not running”.

And Cole insists Fernandes’ comments were “simply unacceptable”.

“He’s absolutely questioning the tactics. It doesn’t matter if he’s right to do so – that’s sacrilege,” Cole said on TNT Sports.

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

“And he doesn’t even do it properly. If you’re gonna come out then come out bold and do it with your chest.

“He probably thinks he’s clever [and will tell Carrick] ‘I didn’t really say it, gaffer’. You said what you said – you said he got the tactics wrong.

“But you can go into the manager’s office and say ‘I think we got it wrong, gaffer’; have a man-to-man conversation.

“To come out in front of the nation and question your manager is simply unacceptable.

“I never like to question people’s morals but I think Bruno really got that wrong. It would never have happened under Sir Alex Ferguson.”