Nico Paz teaches United a lesson

Manchester United were beaten 4–1 at Como on Wednesday 21 October in the Champions League. With two goals and an assist, Nico Paz ran the show for an Italian side that were sharper in the key moments. Joshua Zirkzee's late goal does not change the diagnosis: United were too often second best and lost control of the game.

It would be convenient to sum up the evening as another failure from Manchester United. It would also take away part of Como's credit. Cesc Fàbregas's side pressed, found space and took their chances. United had more shots, but the Italians hit the target twice as often. The contrast between quantity and quality tells the story of this match better than the prestige of the two names.

United did have an early chance, a Diogo Dalot effort that failed to find the target. Straight afterwards, Nico Paz received the ball from Lucas Da Cunha and opened the scoring with a shot from the edge of the box. Less than three minutes had gone: Como had immediately put their opponents in the position of a team forced to respond.

United's response was not enough to wrest back control. Harry Maguire headed off target from a Bryan Mbeumo cross, while Senne Lammens had to step in against Como's attackers. The Italians disrupted United's build-up, kept creating openings and forced hurried decisions. The 1–0 half-time scoreline left the game open, but gave no sign that the problem had been solved.

United's defence had particular circumstances to deal with, notably the return of Matthijs de Ligt after a long absence. That context helps explain some of the coordination problems. It does not explain why the defender's team-mates failed to secure the ball better or to close the passing lanes in front of him. A team should protect a returning player, rather than ask him to absorb its imbalances on his own.

Michael Carrick brought on Amad Diallo and Carlos Baleba for Matheus Cunha and Andrey Santos at half-time. The decision was meant to change the dynamic. Four minutes after the restart, though, it was Como who struck: Paz found Anastasios Douvikas, whose run and finish made it 2–0.

The third goal exposed another weakness. Baleba lost the ball taking a risk in his own half and Paz seized on the turnover to complete his double in the 57th minute. The Cameroonian's error is costly and must be called out. It also came in a match where United's build-up play already lacked security and options: singling out the culprit should not stop us looking at the organisation around him.

Como added a fourth in the 76th minute. Kaiki crossed from the left and Jacobo Ramón finished with a header. United had by then conceded from a quick attack, from a turnover and from a run into their box: different routes to goal, the same lack of control. In added time, Zirkzee pulled one back from an Amad cross. The goal spares United a blank, without changing the meaning of the evening.

United finished with 13 shots to Como's 11. But only four of their attempts were on target, against eight for the Italians. Corners, four to one in the visitors' favour, do not overturn that reading. Activity around the box does not automatically amount to danger; Como were better at turning their openings into work for the goalkeeper.

Lammens made four saves, Jean Butez three. The four goals conceded cannot therefore be pinned mechanically on the United goalkeeper alone. He also stopped some chances from becoming goals. The main problem lies in the chances given to Como and in United's inability to halt the opposition's momentum for any length of time.

Paz put all four of his shots on target, scored twice and set up Douvikas. The latter had two of his three attempts on target. By contrast, Bruno Fernandes did not hit the target with his only shot; neither did Mbeumo. An attack can be short of supply, but its key players must also find other ways to make a difference when the game slips away from the team.

Bruno Fernandes' status does not shield his performance. The captain neither scored nor provided an assist before being replaced by Zirkzee in the 67th minute. He did not influence enough how United moved forward and responded to the press. In a game that is going downhill, the attacking leader must provide solutions; tonight, there were not enough of them.

Mbeumo was involved in a Maguire chance from a cross, which deserves a place in the assessment. The Cameroonian, however, had no shot on target and no goal before coming off late in the game. His display cannot be rescued by that one action alone, any more than it should be described as a total absence. The nuance is to acknowledge the contribution, then to note that it was too limited.

Baleba had a difficult introduction, with a turnover punished directly for the third goal. Amad offered a more favourable contrast: two shots on target and the decisive cross for Zirkzee's goal. The Ivorian produced something concrete in a beaten team. That contribution does not make up for the whole, but it allows performances to be judged individually rather than condemning every player en bloc.

United remain on three points after three Champions League matchdays. The margin for error is shrinking, but tonight's problem is not just about the table. It concerns build-up play, protection of the box and the influence of leaders when the opposition take the initiative.

Como, who reach six points, gave a collective answer to each of these challenges. The Italians deserve better than to be presented as the beneficiaries of an English accident. Their win has a logic to it: pressing, runs, accuracy in the final yards. For Manchester United, the next step forward will have to be visible in those precise areas.

Watch the goals and main chances in the highlights video from Sky Sport.