Bruno Fernandes will keep the Manchester United captaincy and will not be punished for publicly questioning head coach Michael Carrick after Wednesday's 4-1 Champions League thrashing by Como. The Portuguese playmaker slammed Carrick's tactical setup following the match, stating that spotting and fixing problems was the duty of the coaching staff rather than the players on the pitch.
The incident was widely viewed as a challenge to Carrick's leadership, arriving just eight days after defender Lisandro Martinez voiced complaints about summer recruitment and director of football Jason Wilcox. However, there is internal sympathy at Old Trafford for Fernandes. The midfielder carried out 10 post-match interviews in Como despite being withdrawn for Joshua Zirkzee midway through the second half, and United chiefs recognise his anger was understandable after one of the heaviest European defeats in the club's history.
Former Red Devils striker Wayne Rooney expressed disbelief over the performance, stating on the United Stand podcast that he is as worried as he has been for a long time. Rooney branded the squad "selfish" and claimed "they're like babies" who deflect blame away from themselves rather than taking responsibility. Fernandes' individual displays have also experienced a noticeable downturn from last term, when he was named both PFA and FWA Player of the Year while setting a new Premier League assist record for a single campaign.
Attention now turns to Sunday's Premier League fixture against Bournemouth at Old Trafford, where Carrick is set to lead the team despite intense speculation over his position during United's worst run of form since the 2015-16 season. It is not yet clear whether Fernandes will start the game, with Carrick expected to field questions regarding the dispute during his pre-match press conference at 13:30 BST on Friday.