Fernandes benched as Maguire captains Man Utd against Bournemouth
Bruno Fernandes is left on the bench for Manchester United's Premier League game against Bournemouth after criticising manager Michael Carrick, with Harry Maguire taking the captaincy.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been dropped from the starting XI for Sunday's Premier League fixture against Bournemouth. The decision follows his public criticism of manager Michael Carrick after Wednesday's Champions League defeat by Como, in which Fernandes blamed Carrick's tactics and his failure to change them during the 4-1 loss.
Carrick had declined to confirm on Friday whether Fernandes would be dropped. The Portugal international now starts on the bench as United attempt to end a run of seven matches without a win in all competitions. Harry Maguire takes over as captain, while Mason Mount is handed a playmaking role alongside Youri Tielemans.
It is only the sixth time Fernandes has been named among the substitutes for a Premier League game. The previous two occasions, at the end of the 2024-25 season, were intended to keep him fresh for important Europa League fixtures rather than a response to comments. Matheus Cunha also begins on the bench after being replaced at half-time in Italy.
In his programme notes, Carrick addressed the Como result directly, describing the performance as extremely disappointing in many ways. He said the club's standards and values have been set over generations and matter greatly to him, adding that the squad has a duty to represent supporters in a manner befitting those principles. He called for unity and insisted the team must do better for the fans.
Supporters have debated Fernandes' role since his remarks, with some arguing that a captain should not publicly question the manager while others feel his frustration reflected wider problems with the team's form. Those are fan opinions rather than confirmed facts; the only verified developments are his omission from the starting line-up, Maguire's appointment as captain and Carrick's programme notes.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
