Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has made a bold decision to leave captain Bruno Fernandes on the bench for the Premier League match against Bournemouth. This comes on the heels of a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como, which extended the Reds' winless streak to seven matches.
The decision has sparked intense discussions, particularly following the 32-year-old midfielder’s public comments after the match against Como. In an interview with TNT Sports, the Portuguese international critiqued the team's tactical approach and their passivity in pressing:
I think at times we need to be braver under pressure, take risks by pressing very high, and create discomfort for them, just like they did to us. The centre-back tracked me all the way to our half. I think at times we should have acted more like a team, but we didn’t quite manage that.
Fernandes also pointed out that the quick goal from Como was a direct result of the team's lack of pressure on the ball.
Ahead of the match, Carrick was questioned about whether he would strip Fernandes of the captaincy, but the manager opted to keep details vague, emphasising that his decisions are always in the club's best interests.
This decision marks a significant moment in the current season: prior to this, Bruno had started in every one of United's ten matches in the Premier League and Champions League. Since joining from Lisbon’s Sporting in January 2020, he has rarely missed a game, featuring in 186 out of 197 matches for the club in the Premier League since the 2020-21 season.
