Michael Carrick has refused to guarantee that Bruno Fernandes will keep the Manchester United captaincy after the midfielder publicly questioned his tactical decisions. The head coach also dodged questions about the Portuguese star’s place in the starting line-up ahead of Sunday’s clash against Bournemouth.
Fallout from Como defeat
Carrick has refused to guarantee that Fernandes will retain his starting spot or the United captaincy. He faced difficult questions ahead of Bournemouth’s visit to Old Trafford on Sunday. The uncertainty follows a heavy 4-1 defeat to Como, which sparked public frustration from the Portuguese midfielder.
Fernandes openly questioned the tactical setup in a post-match television interview. He revealed that Carrick and his coaching staff had decided against pressing the Italian side man-for-man. Fernandes suggested this specific tactical choice directly contributed to the heavy loss.
Carrick focuses on the club
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Carrick was asked directly whether he would consider dropping Fernandes or stripping him of the armband. The United boss sidestepped the question and instead emphasised his commitment to the wider squad.
“The most important thing for me is the team, first and foremost,” Carrick said. “It’s the squad, it’s the dynamics in the squad. And again, it’s about the football club. I’ll always do what’s best for the football club.”
He added: “I’m just saying I’ll always, whatever the situation is, I’ll always do what’s best for the football club. If I’ve spoken to him or haven’t spoken to him, I don’t think this is the time to go into too much detail.”
Denying dressing room divisions
The tension between the captain and the coaching staff is not an isolated incident. Fernandes is the second United player to publicly criticise club figures in recent weeks. Lisandro Martinez recently aimed his frustration at director of football Jason Wilcox and the club’s board. These consecutive outbursts have inevitably prompted serious questions about a potential split in the Old Trafford dressing room. Carrick, however, strongly dismissed any suggestion of internal turmoil.
“It’s not divided, no, it’s not divided,” he insisted. “We just need to get back to doing what we do best, and we will. We need to move forward in the right direction for sure. We need to do things to enable us to do that. So, it’s pretty clear.”
Bouncing back against Bournemouth
The Red Devils must now put their tactical disagreements behind them as they prepare to host Bournemouth. The Sunday fixture at Old Trafford is a crucial opportunity to respond to the disastrous result against Como.
Carrick is determined to steer the squad back on track amid the growing external noise. He will aim to ensure his players overcome their recent setbacks and deliver a solid, cohesive performance on the pitch.