Bruno Fernandes Benched for Bournemouth Clash Following Criticism of Michael Carrick

Bruno Fernandes was named as a substitute for Manchester United's match against Bournemouth after publicly criticizing Michael Carrick's tactics.

Head coach Michael Carrick has named Bruno Fernandes on the bench for Manchester United’s Sunday fixture against Marco Rose's Bournemouth at Old Trafford. Harry Maguire takes over the captaincy for the match, while Lisandro Martínez was ruled out of the starting lineup due to fitness concerns. Carrick described the selection to Sky Sports as a "pure football" decision aimed at securing the desired team performance.

The lineup change follows Fernandes' public criticism of Carrick’s tactical approach during a 4-1 loss to Como on Wednesday. The Portuguese midfielder expressed disappointment regarding instructions to refrain from pressing the opposition. Carrick responded to the remarks by stating that players who do not run forward or back will not win matches, later adding that he would do what is best for the club.

While Fernandes was demoted to the bench, Lisandro Martínez previously avoided similar exclusion despite criticizing director of football Jason Wilcox and the board. Martínez received a fine and issued an apology before starting a subsequent match against Leeds United, where he was substituted at halftime with an injury.