Carrick leaves Fernandes captaincy question open
The Manchester United coach denied a split in the dressing room after players publicly questioned tactics and club leadership.
Michael Carrick gave no assurance that Bruno Fernandes would remain Manchester United captain when questioned on October 23 following the midfielder's comments about the team's tactics. The head coach said his decisions would be guided by the interests of the club and squad.
Fernandes had discussed United's approach with TNT Sports after a 4-1 loss to Como. He said the coaching staff had chosen not to use man-to-man pressing, and suggested that allowing opponents space could build their confidence. He also described the difficulty of recovering mentally after conceding early.
Carrick opened his press conference with a five-and-a-half-minute statement urging players to respond to the team's difficulties. He rejected suggestions of a dressing-room split and expressed confidence that the squad remained united.
Separately, Lisandro Martinez had criticized United's board, including director of football Jason Wilcox, after a Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid. Martinez subsequently apologized. United's next Premier League fixture is against Bournemouth at Old Trafford, with Carrick under pressure to secure a positive result.
