Bruno Fernandes will remain Manchester United captain and will not be disciplined for his post-match criticism of head coach Michael Carrick after the 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como. The United skipper had criticised Carrick's tactics, then said it was up to the head coach and his backroom team, not the players, to spot issues and change them. Many outside the club saw it as a challenge to Carrick's authority, just eight days after defender Lisandro Martinez criticised director of football Jason Wilcox and the club's summer recruitment.
Inside Old Trafford there is sympathy for Fernandes. The Portugal midfielder did 10 post-match interviews in Como despite being replaced by Joshua Zirkzee midway through the second half. While there is disappointment at some of his comments, his annoyance is seen as understandable given the manner of a loss that was one of the worst in United's European history. It remains to be seen whether Fernandes will be picked for Sunday's Premier League match with Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
Former striker Wayne Rooney said he was in "shock" and "disbelief" at the Como performance and is as "worried as I've been for a long time" about the situation at Old Trafford. Although he understands the questioning of Carrick, a close personal friend, Rooney called the players "selfish" and said "they're like babies" in the wake of the comments from Martinez and Fernandes. "You have to take responsibility as a group of players," he told the United Stand podcast.
Rooney also said Fernandes's form has dipped markedly from last season, when he was named PFA and FWA Player of the Year and broke the Premier League record for assists in a single season. He urged the Manchester United board to provide clarity on Carrick's future, saying he needs to "come out fighting". Carrick will be in charge against Bournemouth despite intense speculation he is on the brink of dismissal after United's worst run of form since 2015-16.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing