Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick and captain Bruno Fernandes held clear-the-air talks Tuesday at the club's training ground, ending a brief rift that saw Fernandes dropped for Sunday's 3-0 loss to Bournemouth after publicly criticizing Carrick's tactics following a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como.
Carrick described the benching as "pure football" and remains in charge for Saturday's Premier League trip to Chelsea. The one-on-one meeting, confirmed by Sky Sports News, was described as open and frank, with Carrick satisfied the animosity is resolved. Fernandes is now expected to be in contention at Stamford Bridge.
A broader squad meeting also took place, with players and staff acknowledging collective underperformance this season and vowing immediate improvement. Carrick has been given a chance to turn results around despite pressure mounting after the Bournemouth defeat.
According to Sky Sports News reporter Danyal Khan at Carrington, Fernandes has returned to his best in training over the past 48 hours, suggesting the midfielder is ready to reclaim his starting role.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing