Michael Carrick makes shock Bruno Fernandes claim after dropping Man Utd captain

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick stated that benching captain Bruno Fernandes for Sunday's match against Bournemouth was based on "pure football" reasons. The decision came shortly after Fernandes publicly questioned the team's tactics following a 4-1 loss to Como, which extended United's winless streak to seven matches. Fernandes had criticized the staff's tactical choice not to press man-to-man during that defeat.

Sunday marked the first Premier League game this season that Fernandes did not start. Carrick emphasized the need to put the club first and stated his lineup choices were aimed at securing a needed victory. Additionally, defender Lisandro Martinez missed out on the starting lineup as Carrick confirmed he was not fully fit to take the risk.