Bruno Fernandes will remain Manchester United captain and will not face disciplinary action after criticising Michael Carrick following the 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como.
The Portugal midfielder questioned Carrick’s tactics after the match and said responsibility for identifying problems and making changes rested with the head coach and his staff, rather than the players.
Fernandes’ comments were viewed by many outside the club as a challenge to Carrick’s authority. They came eight days after Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez criticised director of football Jason Wilcox and the club’s summer recruitment.
However, there is sympathy within Old Trafford for Fernandes and the circumstances in which he found himself. The midfielder completed 10 post-match interviews in Como despite being substituted for Joshua Zirkzee midway through the second half.
Although some of his remarks have caused disappointment, the frustration behind them is understood to have been a reaction to the way Manchester United lost. The defeat was one of the club’s worst in European competition.
It is not yet known whether Fernandes will play in Sunday’s Premier League match against Bournemouth at Old Trafford. Carrick is expected to face questions about the situation at his pre-match news conference at 13:30 BST on Friday.
Rooney criticises United players
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said he was in “shock” and “disbelief” after watching the performance against Como, adding that he was as “worried as I’ve been for a long time” about the situation at the club.
Rooney understands why Carrick is facing scrutiny and is a close personal friend of the former England and Manchester United captain. But he also described the players as “selfish” and said “they’re like babies” after the public criticism from Martinez and Fernandes.
“When Martinez came out, I said this is an absolute nightmare because it will rip the dressing room apart,” Rooney told the United Stand podcast. “That was the start. We’ve seen it now with Bruno, and you’re going to see it with more players because they don’t want to take responsibility.
“You can say whether Bruno was right or wrong in what he said but you have to take responsibility on the pitch. You have to take responsibility as a group of players.
“These players, they’re selfish. They don’t care about their teammates, don’t care about the manager, the staff or the fans; they care about themselves. If they’re not getting what’s right for them, they’re like babies and just throw their toys out of the pram and go and deflect the blame on to anyone else but themselves.”
Fernandes’ performances have dropped significantly since last season, when he was named PFA and FWA Player of the Year and set a Premier League record for assists in a single campaign.
“He [Fernandes] is putting pressure on someone else because he doesn’t want to face it,” Rooney added.
“If he looks at himself in the mirror, if Martinez and all of them looked at themselves in the mirror, they’ll find what’s looking back at them is them, and that’s not good enough. They need to show more.”
Carrick will remain in charge for Sunday’s visit of Bournemouth despite intense speculation over his position following Manchester United’s worst run of form since 2015-16.
Rooney has urged the Manchester United board to clarify Carrick’s future and believes the manager must respond forcefully.
“I was in that situation [at Plymouth and Birmingham City] and I can only say now, looking back and reflecting, if I was in Michael Carrick’s position now, I’d come out fighting,” said Rooney.
“There’s no more Mr Nice Guy. There are certain things you’ve got to do to protect them players, but you have to come out fighting for yourself because those players will drag you down and it’s going to be you who’s going to lose your job over it.”
