Carrick confirms Fernandes stays as Manchester United captain after clear-the-air talks
Michael Carrick says Bruno Fernandes remains fully committed and will keep the Manchester United captaincy, though the Portuguese midfielder's return to the starting XI at Chelsea is uncertain.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has confirmed that Bruno Fernandes will remain club captain, describing the Portuguese midfielder as fully committed to the side and saying there is no decision to be made over the armband.
Fernandes was dropped to the bench for Sunday's 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth after questioning the tactics used in a 4-1 Champions League loss to Como. Carrick and Fernandes held clear-the-air talks at United's Carrington training ground on Tuesday in an attempt to move the situation forward.
Carrick, who will still be in charge for Saturday's trip to Chelsea despite the Bournemouth result leaving his future hanging by a thread, stressed that Fernandes is an important player for the group and has been and will continue to be so. He said the captain has led the team well over many games and years and will carry on doing so.
The United boss added that the club and team are clear about the situation and that the priority is to make a difference and push things in a good direction, reiterating that the midfielder is fully committed to making things better.
It remains to be seen whether Fernandes returns to the starting line-up at Chelsea, with Carrick offering no guarantee on selection. The captaincy question, however, appears settled for now as United prepare for a difficult away fixture.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
