Bruno Fernandes benched after criticizing Carrick — SkimNews
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- Manchester United left captain Bruno Fernandes on the bench for Sunday’s visit to Bournemouth at Old Trafford and named Harry Maguire captain in his absence.
- Bruno Fernandes criticized Michael Carrick’s tactical approach after Wednesday’s 4-1 defeat to Como, hinting that he was disappointed with instructions not to press.
- Michael Carrick hit back that a team must run forward and back to win, then called the selection “pure football” and the right choice for the team’s performance.
- Michael Carrick refused at Friday’s news conference to say whether he would drop Fernandes, saying only that he would “do what’s best for the football club”; he also confirmed Lisandro Martínez was unfit to start.
- Lisandro Martínez escaped a similar punishment after publicly criticizing director of football Jason Wilcox and the board: he apologized, was fined, then started against Leeds United before going off at half-time through injury.
Why it matters: After the 4-1 Como defeat and Fernandes’s public criticism, United made an immediate leadership change for Sunday’s Bournemouth match: Maguire took the armband. The Martínez case provides the key contrast: an apology and fine followed criticism of Wilcox and the board, yet Martínez still started against Leeds.
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