Michael Carrick and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes have held face-to-face talks at the club’s Carrington training ground after the midfielder was left out of the starting line-up for Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth.
The meeting took place as pressure increased on head coach Carrick, whose side have now gone eight matches without a win in all competitions. It also followed public criticism from Fernandes of the manager’s tactical approach.
Fernandes remained on the bench throughout the Bournemouth match as United suffered another damaging result in a difficult season. The Portugal midfielder had already voiced his frustration with Carrick’s tactical set-up after last Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat by Como in the UEFA Champions League.
Despite the disagreement, both Carrick and Fernandes are understood to want to settle the matter and concentrate on improving United’s performances before Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Chelsea.
United’s lack of consistent form has brought increasing scrutiny on Carrick. The 20-time Premier League champions have failed to win any of their past eight matches in all competitions, while the heavy defeat by Bournemouth underlined the scale of the task facing the head coach.
The situation has also focused attention on the relationship between Carrick and Fernandes, one of the club’s most influential players. Fernandes’ decision to speak publicly about the manager’s tactical arrangements after the Como loss raised questions about the mood within the squad.
Fernandes continues to be a central creative figure for United, even though his performances this season have fallen below the standard expected of him.
The captain played a significant part in helping Carrick’s side finish in the Premier League’s top four last season. His form during that campaign earned him both the Premier League Player of the Year and PFA Player of the Year awards.
He also set a record for the most assists in Premier League history during that season, highlighting his contribution to United’s chance creation and attacking play.
With United facing Chelsea on Saturday, Fernandes’ availability could be particularly important as Carrick attempts to steady the team and reverse its recent run of results. The club will hope the discussions at Carrington have cleared the way for the midfielder to focus on his performances and help United address their ongoing problems.
