Manchester United’s bad run has become noisier by the day: seven matches without a win, only two victories from 11, and a public argument over tactics that has left Michael Carrick exposed just when he most needs the dressing room behind him.
Why it landed this week
- Manchester United
- Michael Carrick
- Bruno Fernandes
- Lisandro Martínez
- Como
- Aston Villa
The pressure on Carrick is now reaching boardroom level. United are reported to be weighing up five possible successors, with Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe viewed as the leading option. A wider collection of names being discussed includes Jason Wilcox, Unai Emery, Kieran McKenna, Mauricio Pochettino, Simone Inzaghi, Julian Nagelsmann, Fabian Hürzeler, Antonio Conte, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gareth Southgate.
That is the background against which Bruno Fernandes has found himself at the centre of a sharp row following the defeat to Como in the Champions League. The United captain’s public comments on the manager’s approach have been received badly by a number of former players and pundits, particularly after Lisandro Martínez had also spoken out the previous week.
Rooney calls for Carrick to fight back
Wayne Rooney believes Fernandes and Martínez have failed to accept their own share of responsibility. United’s record goalscorer said players must answer for their performances on the pitch rather than push the blame elsewhere.
Rooney described the group as selfish, arguing that they were showing too little concern for teammates, coaches, supporters or the manager. In his view, players unhappy with their standing have reacted like children and searched for somebody else to hold responsible.
He said Fernandes, Martínez and their colleagues should look closely at themselves because their level has not been good enough. His advice to Carrick was blunt: stop playing the agreeable figure and start defending his own position. A manager has duties to protect players, Rooney said, but cannot allow them to drag him towards the sack.
Captaincy under scrutiny
Joe Cole took particular issue with Fernandes questioning the tactical set-up in public. The former England midfielder said it did not matter whether the captain had a valid footballing point; he believed such a dispute should be taken directly to the manager rather than aired outside the club.
Cole said a captain can challenge a coach in a private conversation, but cannot publicly distance himself from the manager’s decisions while retaining the armband. He added that such a situation would not have arisen under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Kasper Schmeichel also felt Fernandes’s comments had worsened an already difficult week. He said internal disagreements ought to remain within the club, particularly given the earlier remarks from Martínez, and warned that United were allowing their problems to become visible to everyone.
Stephen Warnock made a similar point, saying senior players should speak to Carrick, explain where they disagree and work out how the side can improve. Once tactical grievances become public, he said, the outcome rarely benefits anyone.
Frank Leboeuf went further, calling the episode a betrayal of Carrick, the supporters and the club. He accepted that the tactics could be debated, but suggested Carrick may know the limitations of his squad and may have chosen a more cautious plan for that reason. Leboeuf accused the players of failing to run hard enough for either their manager or United.
Former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor questioned whether Fernandes has shown the qualities required of a United captain when results turn against the side. He criticised the midfielder for repeatedly losing possession and throwing up his arms during the match.
A burglary during the Como trip
Fernandes has also had a serious off-field matter to deal with. His home in Nether Alderley, valued at more than €4 million, was burgled while he was in Italy for the Champions League match against Como.
His wife, Ana Pinho, and their two young children were not at the property. Three intruders were said to have spent less than five minutes inside before police arrived, taking designer jewellery and other high-value possessions.
A neighbour alerted police after seeing men acting suspiciously in the rear garden. The back of the Fernandes property borders woodland, and the intruders are believed to have entered by jumping a fence despite security cameras and a high-tech alarm system being in place.
