Real Madrid maintain perfect start in Champions League with third win in three matches

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said his side failed to apply enough pressure and adopted a “mood of defeat” after conceding early in Wednesday’s 4–1 Champions League loss at Como, a result that increased scrutiny on manager Michael Carrick.

Como opened the scoring in the second minute and United collapsed, with only a stoppage‑time consolation goal from Joshua Zirkzee making the scoreline slightly less severe.

“We started on the wrong foot and they scored very early,” Fernandes told TNT Sports. “There was not enough pressure on the ball and not many good movements off the ball. There were many things not going our way.

“It’s a decision from the [coaching] staff not to 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.”

Asked if his comments amounted to criticism of Carrick’s tactics, Fernandes said: “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.”

Carrick’s position has come under increasing pressure with United now winless in seven matches.

“It was more than disappointing,” the 45-year-old manager told TNT Sports. “I think everybody’s got to take responsibility for that. I’ll take responsibility for the overall team and performance, it stops with me and I’m fine with that.

“But as a supporter of this football club, to see a performance like that is unacceptable, I have to say.”

Carrick said his side failed to show the required intensity.

“It’s the motivation and the purpose and the intensity of a game of football that you have to bring. We didn’t bring that today. I’ve got to apologise for the performance.”

Fernandes also questioned United’s mentality after the early setback.

“Conceding early makes us go into the game with a mood of defeat,” he said.

United have three points from their opening three Champions League matches and host AS Roma in their next fixture in the competition.

Also on Wednesday night, Declan Rice rescued Arsenal with a late equaliser in an electric 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich, while Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1.

Arsenal’s evening in Germany began ominously when Bukayo Saka limped out of the contest in the 10th minute, clutching his knee after falling while attempting a pass.

Fifteen minutes later, however, Eberechi Eze raced on to Martin Odegaard’s long ball and fired an angled shot past Manuel Neuer. Initially flagged offside, the goal was awarded following a VAR review.

Bayern replied in the 35th minute when Harry Kane released Alphonso Davies down the left with a through ball from halfway, the Canadian breaking clear before beating David Raya with a composed right-footed finish.

Kane put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot in the 61st minute after his shot struck Jurrien Timber’s raised hand, blasting his 58th Champions League goal into the roof of the net.

But Rice had the final say eight minutes from time, exchanging passes with Viktor Gyokeres inside the box before slotting past Neuer.

At the Santiago Bernabeu, Real’s emphatic scoreline owed much to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who denied Romulo’s close-range volley and thwarted Christopher Nkunku one-on-one before the hosts found their rhythm.

Bernardo Silva broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute, pouncing to tap home almost on the goalline after Leipzig goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt spilled Federico Valverde’s shot.

Arda Guler doubled the lead seven minutes after halftime, beating a defender to Kylian Mbappe’s goal-bound header from Jude Bellingham’s cross.

Mbappe curled a shot into the top corner in the 83rd minute before Tidiam Gomis pulled one back a minute later. Substitute Yan Diomande capped Real’s victory with a spectacular volley from Brahim Diaz’s cross.

Elsewhere, Galatasaray won 4-2 at Lille, Inter Milan edged Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, Aston Villa beat Viking Stavanger 3-1 and Real Betis beat Feyenoord 1-0, while LASK stunned Sporting 3-2 in Lisbon.

Paris St Germain, Aston Villa, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Real Betis top the standings having all made perfect starts to their Champions League campaigns, with three wins from three matches.

Inter Milan overcame Alessandro Bastoni’s dismissal to beat Shakhtar Donetsk, Carlos Augusto controlling Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s long pass in his stride before scoring the 77th-minute winner.

Bastoni had received a second booking eight minutes earlier for pushing an opponent away from the ball.

Aston Villa comfortably beat Norway’s Viking, Ross Barkley heading the opener from a corner before Emiliano Buendia converted a penalty and Alysson found the net with a deflected shot. Peter Christiansen struck Viking’s late consolation.

Isco’s 59th-minute penalty following a handball gave Real Betis victory over Feyenoord in Seville, while Club Brugge beat Lens 3-0 through goals from Hans Vanaken, Joaquin Seys and Carlos Forbs.

LASK stunned Sporting, recovering from Luis Suarez’s early penalty with goals from Christoph Lang, Sasa Kalajdzic and Krystof Danek. Suarez scored again in the 89th minute but the hosts could not salvage a point.

Earlier, Nico Paz tormented Manchester United with two goals and an assist as Como swept to victory in northern Italy, while Galatasaray won a six-goal thriller at Lille.

Paz put Como ahead inside two minutes with a curling effort from the edge of the box, then helped double the lead four minutes after halftime, threading a perfectly weighted pass through for Anastasios Douvikas to finish first time past the advancing goalkeeper.

The Argentine then robbed Carlos Baleba near the right touchline and surged diagonally for more than 30 metres before steering a left-footed finish inside the far post.

Jacobo Ramon headed Como’s fourth from substitute Kaiki Bruno’s cross in the 76th minute, with Joshua Zirkzee grabbing United’s stoppage-time consolation from Amad Diallo’s delivery.

In France, Galatasaray recovered from surrendering an early lead to beat Lille 4-2.

Yunus Akgun fired the visitors ahead shortly after kickoff, but Soriba Diaoune equalised five minutes later and struck again in the 39th minute to put Lille in front.

Alexey Batrakov headed Galatasaray level in the 44th minute before Lucas Torreira appeared to glance home a corner in the 52nd, although the effort was later credited as a Nabil Bentaleb own goal.

Victor Osimhen completed the scoring nine minutes later with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.