Bruno Fernandes questioned Michael Carrick’s tactical setup after Manchester United’s 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como. Carrick then left his 32-year-old captain on the bench for Sunday’s match against Bournemouth.
At Old Trafford, Fernandes was an unused substitute as United lost 3-0 at home. Harry Maguire wore the armband, supporters cheered Carrick after the final whistle and the players were booed. The result left United one point above the Premier League relegation zone.
Now Carrick has restored the captain’s authority. The Manchester United head coach and Fernandes held clear-the-air talks at the club’s Carrington training ground on Tuesday, and Carrick said there was “no decision to be made” over whether Fernandes would remain captain.
Carrick will be in charge for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea, with Fernandes retaining the armband. Maguire will not remain captain for that game.
At his Thursday press conference, Carrick said he needed “no assurances” over his own future. He described Fernandes as central to the team. “He is an important player for this group. He has been and he will be,” Carrick said.
“He’s the one that’s kind of led the team so well for many a game and many a year, and he’ll continue to do that,” Carrick said.
The manager also sought to settle doubts over Fernandes’s commitment. “He’s fully committed to this football club; he’s fully committed to making things better,” Carrick said.
“Bruno is fully committed to this football club. I’ve got no issues with that, we move forward,” he added.
Of the captain, Carrick said: “He cares deeply about this football club and the team and he’s desperate to do well. We’ll lead that together.”
The decision comes during United’s worst run of results since 2015-16. The club have gone eight games without a win, have waited more than two months for a Premier League victory and have won just two of 12 matches in all competitions this season.
United’s return of seven points from eight league games is their worst start to a league season in 40 years.
That run put Carrick’s job under pressure. Early this week, the Glazer family, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox held meetings at Carrington to discuss the manager’s future and the club’s next steps.
Carrick had faced potential dismissal, with Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann reportedly considered as alternatives. The hierarchy instead backed him to stay in post, with plans for him to manage Saturday’s Chelsea match and subsequent games against Roma and Aston Villa.
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