Manchester United bench Bruno Fernandes for Bournemouth after Como outburst

Carrick bench‑ed the captain after Fernandes blamed the manager for United’s lack of pressing in the Champions League defeat.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 25 Oct 2026 19:08:25 GMT

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has placed captain Bruno Fernandes on the bench for Sunday’s Premier League game against Bournemouth, after the Portuguese midfielder publicly criticised the coach’s tactics following United’s 4-1 Champions League loss to Como.

What happened

United suffered a 4-1 defeat to Como on Wednesday, a result that extended the club’s winless run to seven games across all competitions. In the aftermath, Fernandes said United’s lack of pressing was down to the manager’s instructions. Carrick responded by removing Fernandes from the starting line‑up for the upcoming match at Old Trafford against Bournemouth, opting instead for a midfield of Youri Tielemans, Mason Mount and former captain Harry Maguire.

What the reports add

Independent.co.uk noted that this is the first time Fernandes has been dropped for a Premier League match in almost seven years, and that Carrick also left the captain’s armband with Maguire. The outlet added that former United captain Gary Neville said Carrick had “no option” but to drop Fernandes after a “direct attack” on the manager. Deccan Chronicle reported that Carrick made four changes to the squad, bringing in Matheus Cunha, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and others, while also highlighting United’s position 15th in the league with seven points from seven games.

What was said

Fernandes told reporters that United’s “lack of pressing” was a result of the system employed by Carrick, saying the responsibility lay with the manager. Carrick replied, “Whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run and you don’t run forward, and you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win,” as reported by Deccan Chronicle. Gary Neville, speaking to Sky Sports and cited by Independent, said Carrick had “no option” but to drop Fernandes after the midfielder’s “direct attack”.

How it came about

The benching follows a series of poor results for United. After the 4-1 loss to Como, the club’s winless streak reached seven games, prompting fan protests and calls for Carrick’s dismissal, as covered in Felo’s earlier article on 21 October (Bruno Fernandes blames Michael Carrick’s tactics after United’s 4-1 Champions League loss to Como). United also drew 1‑1 with Leeds on 18 October, with Fernandes receiving a low player rating, and faced criticism over squad selection throughout October.

Key facts

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick benched captain Bruno Fernandes for the Bournemouth match. (independent.co.uk)
Fernandes had criticised Carrick’s tactics after United’s 4-1 Champions League loss to Como. (deccanchronicle.com)
United have not won in seven games across all competitions. (deccanchronicle.com)
Carrick made four changes to the squad, including bringing in Matheus Cunha and Matthijs de Ligt. (deccanchronicle.com)
Former captain Harry Maguire will wear the armband for the Bournemouth game. (independent.co.uk)