Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been dropped to the substitutes’ bench for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth following his public criticism of manager Michael Carrick after the club’s humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como.
Key Highlights
- Bruno Fernandes benched for Man Utd’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth.
- The move follows his public criticism of Michael Carrick after the 4-1 Champions League loss to Como.
- Carrick calls it “a football decision”; Harry Maguire takes the captaincy.
- United have won just one of their last 10 Premier League games without Fernandes starting.
- Pundits Clinton Morrison and Jamie Carragher back Carrick; Julien Laurens says it does not go far enough.
The decision comes amid growing tensions at Old Trafford, with Fernandes questioning Carrick’s tactics and his failure to make changes during Wednesday’s Champions League encounter.
Carrick had declined to confirm whether the Portugal international would be dropped when he addressed the media on Friday.
However, the United manager left the midfielder out of his starting line-up for the Bournemouth fixture.
Carrick: ‘A Football Decision’
Explaining the decision, Carrick described Fernandes’ omission as “a football decision”, insisting that his priority is to select the team capable of delivering the desired performance.
“When you have options, it’s always a difficult decision. We have to make the right one for today and the team to get that performance we want,” Carrick said in comments to Sky Sports.
Defender Harry Maguire takes over the captaincy for the match, while Mason Mount has been handed a playmaking role alongside Youri Tielemans.
The decision marks only the sixth time Fernandes has been left on the bench for a Premier League fixture.
His previous two omissions, towards the end of the 2024-25 season, were intended to preserve his fitness for important Europa League matches.
United’s record without Fernandes in the starting line-up has also raised concerns, with the club winning just one of their last 10 Premier League matches in that situation, drawing three and losing six.
Their only victory came against Newcastle in December, when they won 1-0.
Forward Matheus Cunha was also named among the substitutes after being replaced at half-time against Como, while defender Lisandro Martinez missed out as he continued to recover from injury.
Carrick said Martinez was not sufficiently fit to feature, explaining that the decision had been a close call but that the club did not want to risk aggravating his injury.
Carrick Urges Response After Como Defeat
In his programme notes ahead of the Bournemouth match, Carrick acknowledged the disappointment surrounding the Como defeat and urged his players to respond.
“Manchester United is a truly great football club,” he wrote. “Our standards and values have been set out over generations and are very important to me.”
He added that the team had a responsibility to represent the club properly and deliver the performance supporters expected.
“Wednesday’s performance was extremely disappointing in many ways. Today we have to show what we are all about,” Carrick said.
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Pundits Divided Over Fernandes Benching
The decision to bench Fernandes has divided football pundits, with some supporting the manager’s move to maintain discipline and others warning that leaving out one of United’s most influential players could backfire.
Former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison described the decision as the right one, arguing that players should not publicly challenge their manager over tactical decisions.
Morrison, however, warned that Carrick would face criticism if United failed to secure a positive result after dropping their captain and one of their key players.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also backed Carrick’s decision to take a stand, despite acknowledging Fernandes’ importance to the team.
Carragher said Fernandes remained United’s best player but criticised what he described as the midfielder’s tendency to show frustration towards teammates when performances deteriorated.
European football expert Julien Laurens, meanwhile, argued that the club needed to establish clearer disciplinary boundaries, suggesting that the punishment did not go far enough.
United entered the Bournemouth encounter seeking to end a seven-match winless run across all competitions, placing additional pressure on Carrick and his players to deliver an improved performance.
The match is therefore a significant test for the manager as he attempts to restore confidence, address internal tensions and improve the club’s results.
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