Why Bruno Fernandes should actually be grateful to Michael Carrick at Man Utd for fixing Ruben Amorim’s mistake
Ashley Young thinks Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes should be grateful to Michael Carrick for fixing a mistake made by Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
Lately, Fernandes and United’s manager Carrick have been on shaky ground. After Fernandes criticised the team’s tactics following their heavy 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League, Carrick benched him for the match against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Carrick said the decision was just about football, but there’s still some tension at Old Trafford, especially with their upcoming game at Chelsea on Saturday, where Carrick will be in charge.
Fernandes didn’t even come off the bench as United lost 3-0 to Bournemouth. Usually, the 32-year-old is a regular starter, but his form has dipped since he broke the Premier League assist record with 21 last season.
Carrick played a big role in helping Fernandes shine by moving him into his favoured attacking spot. Before that, Amorim had used him deeper on the field, which didn’t suit him as well.
Talking on Overlap Daily, former United winger Ashley Young said Fernandes should thank Carrick for turning things around for him. But he also criticised Fernandes for being selfish as captain and not working hard enough.
Young said, “It’s selfish. You can’t fool past United players or fans. Look at the Como game: Fernandes only did half the pressing, then looked around and threw his hands up like he was doing enough just for the crowd. That’s not what a United captain or leader does. He’s focused on stats. Yeah, last season he was amazing with 21 assists, but he should thank Carrick for putting him in the right position to do that. He used to play deeper and all over the place. If you’re a leader at Man United, you’ve got to be a team player.”
Fernandes also publicly criticized his manager after the Como loss, saying the team should have pressed man-to-man, even though many fans have already questioned Fernandes’s own effort on the pitch.
Once a fan favourite at Old Trafford, Fernandes risks damaging his reputation by creating more tension and negativity.
To make things worse, he hasn’t contributed a goal or assist in his last five Premier League games, so his performance can’t make up for the off-field issues.
This poor form, lack of hard work, and public criticism of his boss have raised questions about his future, which might be sorted out by January.
Fernandes has a contract that expires in June 2027, but there’s a one-year option to extend it automatically. It looks like United want to use that option to keep his value up before potentially selling him next summer.
Clubs from the Saudi Pro League are expected to come back with offers, after Al-Hilal showed interest before. United are hoping to get a good price for their underperforming captain.