Michael Carrick holds Carrington summit with Bruno Fernandes amid tension between Man United boss and captain after Bournemouth snub and ‘loyalty’ dig
Michael Carrick has held clear-the-air talks with Bruno Fernandes after dropping the Manchester United captain to the bench for Sunday’s defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
Carrick confirmed that Fernandes was fit and available for the game in a clear indication that the Portugal star was being punished for criticising United’s tactics in the Champions League defeat in Como last week.
The two men had a meeting at Carrington on Wednesday to iron out their problems after United confirmed that Carrick will stay in charge for now despite a run of eight games without a win. With Carrick’s future still uncertain, though, it made sense to get his captain and best player back onside.
Sources say that Fernandes is more settled after a difficult week in which he appeared to pin the blame for United’s embarrassing 4-1 loss to Como on Carrick, and then discovered that his home in Cheshire had been raided by a gang on the night of the match. Fernandes’ family were not home at the time, and the burglars made off with jewellery and other expensive items.
Speaking after he was substituted shortly after the hour mark in Italy, Fernandes discussed United’s tactics by saying: ‘It’s a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, wait for them.
Michael Carrick has held clear-the-air talks with Man United captain Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes was dropped for the Bournemouth defeat after questioning the team’s tactics
The captain then liked an Instagram post which read: ‘Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care’
‘It’s not the first time. We started on the wrong foot and they scored very early. Not much pressure on the ball, not many good movements with the ball, not many things going our way.
‘Conceding early makes us go into game with a mood of defeat, it’s difficult to get out of that, trying to be brave, to have the ball and make something happen. If we are not able to do that, it is going to be very difficult to get out of this situation.’
Asked if he meant that Carrick got his tactics wrong, Fernandes added: ‘That’s on the manager and staff to say, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable.
‘As you saw with Como, the centre-back was coming to mark me in my own half. We need to do that as a team but we were unable to.’
When Carrick was told about Fernandes’ comments, the United boss gave a pointed response by suggesting that his players weren’t willing to run enough.
‘We actually were half-pressed man-to-man in the second half and then conceded a goal from that,’ he said. ‘There’s a little bit on whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, but if you don’t run – you don’t run forward and you don’t run back – you aren’t going to win.’
Carrick dropped Fernandes to the bench against Bournemouth and then left him stewing there while he brought on four other substitute including teenager Shea Lacey.
Afterwards, Fernandes was among the United players targeted for abuse by fans as they made a public show of support for Carrick and then turned on the team.
He seemed to respond with a veiled dig at Carrick on Sunday night when he liked a cryptic Instagram post that read: ‘Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care.’
With Fernandes set to return to the lineup at Stamford Bridge, there was more good news for United when Kobbie Mainoo resumed training at Carrington on Wednesday.
