Carrick's gamble to drop Bruno Fernandes backfires as Manchester United's wider institutional failures come under scrutiny

Summary

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick left captain Bruno Fernandes out against Bournemouth, a make-or-break decision that did not work. The column says Carrick will probably pay the price, but argues he should not be alone, because the club under its current leadership is also failing. Carrick said the decision was purely based on football reasons, but Fernandes's public criticism of his manager after the desperate defeat to Como cannot have helped. Carrick disagreed with his captain's comments on the lack of pressing in the Champions League fixture. Lisandro Martínez kept his place despite pointing out the previous week that director of football Jason Wilcox was a hindrance to the club.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   25 Oct 2026, 17:56 UTCSource ↗

   In a column by Will Unwin, The Guardian says Michael Carrick's decision to leave out Bruno Fernandes against Bournemouth was a make-or-break gamble that failed, and that the club's institutional failures extend beyond the manager.