Bruno Fernandes: Manchester United captain dropped for crucial Premier League game against Bournemouth
Bruno Fernandes publicly criticised Michael Carrick's tactics after Man Utd's heavy defeat to Como on Wednesday; club captain dropped from squad for Sunday's Premier League game at home to Bournemouth, live on Sky Sports
Sunday 25 October 2026 13:46, UK
Bruno Fernandes has been dropped from the Manchester United team for their Premier League game at home to Bournemouth.
The captain was named on the bench after he criticised Michael Carrick's tactics following Wednesday's 4-1 thrashing at Como in the Champions League on Wednesday.
"Picking the team is always a difficult decision," Carrick told Sky Sports. "We've got to make what we feel is the right one for the team to try to get the performance we want."
Carrick described his reasons for dropping his captain as "pure football."
Sky Sports News reported on Thursday that Sunday's game against the Cherries - which is live on Sky Sports - could be pivotal for Carrick, who is under heavy pressure amid United's dreadful start to the season.
- Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱
- Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream PL games with no contract📺
But Carrick's side will now be without their captain, who told TNT Sports after the loss to Como: "It's a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little space in behind and try to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball.
"But sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confident, they have so many bodies behind the ball that make you run a lot, make people get frustrated, and then obviously when you recover the ball the legs are, and the brain, much more difficult to make it work."
Asked if the tactics were to blame for the defeat, Fernandes replied: "That's on the manager and on the staff to see it, it's not on me.
"I just said, I think sometimes we have to be more brave on the pressure, trying to take a risk of getting that press very high and making them uncomfortable - as they did to us."
Sky Sports News reported on Thursday Fernandes would not be stripped of the captaincy for his comments.
But at his pre-match press conference on Friday - which he unusually began with an emotional monologue - Carrick refused to rule out disciplinary measures being taken against Fernandes.
"The most important thing for me is the team and the dynamics in the squad. It is about the football club. Whatever the situation is, I will always do what is best for the football club," he said.
"If I've spoken to him or haven't... this isn't the time to go into details."
Fernandes was the second United player to publicly criticise the club this month after Lisandro Martinez's comments following the Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid.
Martinez said: "I expect more from our technical director [director of football, Jason Wilcox]. We expect more from the top, from upstairs, to bring in more players to compete."
Martinez was not dropped for United's following game, playing 45 minutes of the 1-1 draw at Leeds - but was also benched for the visit of Bournemouth.
Neville: Fernandes comments were devastating
Speaking amid the news of Fernandes' benching, Gary Neville called Manchester United's dressing room "toxic" and said the club's players have been a "wrecking ball" towards managers.
He told Sky Sports News: "For the captain to come out and speak like he did, we're probably only getting one or two per cent of what he actually thinks. Imagine what they're saying in there. It will be toxic.
"The two most prominent players in the team - a World Cup winner and the PFA Player of the Year - coming out and hammering the owners, hammering the sporting director and criticising the manager, all in the space of a week means the players have completely gone.
"But there a number of these players who have been a wrecking ball through managers for the last three or four years and it looks like, unfortunately, it's happening again.
Talking about Michael Carrick's emotional address at the start of his press conference on Friday, Neville said: "When you're starting to have to justify the values of this football club, citing [Wayne] Rooney, [Sir Matt] Busby, [Sir Alex] Ferguson, that message can only be to the players. There's millions around the world who don't need reminding of what Manchester United is.
"If you're having to remind them of history, values and personality traits to play for this club, you're at a pretty low point."
Asked about Fernandes' quotes about Carrick's tactics, Neville added: "They're devastating. It's a direct attack on the manager.
"If you go back 25 years, these players would never be anywhere near the club, never mind the pitch. They'd be gone. Finished.
"But Manchester United aren't in that position anymore and neither is Michael Carrick.
"It was a horrible press conference to watch. It was very emotional.
"There has to be a consequence, for Michael's own reputation. He's got to do it for himself.
"Fernandes has been a fantastic player for this club, he's been world-class at times. But let's be really blunt about it - he's played awfully this season. His standards have been really poor.
"It's a mess."
