Michael Carrick makes rare Bruno Fernandes call for Manchester United against Bournemouth

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has left captain Bruno Fernandes out of his starting XI to face Bournemouth, with the Portugal international set to begin on the bench for the first time in almost five years.

The decision, reported by the British newspaper Daily Mail, comes only days after Fernandes publicly criticised the coaching staff’s tactical approach during United’s heavy 4-1 Champions League defeat away to Como.

Fernandes is usually among the first names on Manchester United’s team sheet and rarely comes off during matches. His omission from the starting line-up is therefore highly unusual.

It is the first time he has been dropped for reasons unrelated to his fitness since Carrick made the same decision for the match against Villarreal in November 2021.

Carrick’s decision appears to underline his authority as manager after Fernandes questioned the team’s approach in the aftermath of the defeat by Como. In a challenging news conference on Friday, Carrick stressed that no individual was more important than Manchester United and said the team’s interests would always come first.

“The most important thing for me is the team, before anything else. I will always do what is in the best interests of the club,” said Carrick.

Fernandes, who is generally careful in his media interviews, issued unusually strong criticism of the coaching staff after the loss.

He said: “It was a decision from the coaching staff not to press the opposition man-to-man, to leave some spaces behind us at times, and to try to win the ball back at the first opportunity, or to wait for the opposition and allow them to have the ball.”

The Manchester United captain added: “But when you give these teams the ball too much, they gain confidence and have a lot of players behind the ball. That forces you to run a lot and makes the players feel frustrated.

“When you eventually win the ball back, the legs and minds are less able to do what is required.”

Carrick’s selection decision means Fernandes will not start against Bournemouth, despite his usual role as a central figure in the Manchester United side. It also follows a defeat that exposed significant disagreement over how the team should defend and regain possession.

The midfielder’s comments focused on United’s decision not to press their opponents individually, instead allowing Como periods of possession. He argued that this approach gave the Italian side confidence, while leaving United with more running to do and making it harder for players to respond effectively whenever they recovered the ball.