Fernandes took aim at Michael Carrick’s approach following United’s heavy Champions League loss to Como in midweek, criticising the manager’s defensive, low-pressing tactics in an impassioned outburst.
In the immediate aftermath of United’s latest defeat, Carrick refused to rule out stripping Fernandes of the captaincy, despite the Portuguese’s reputation as arguably the club’s finest player of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
‘When you have options it’s always a difficult decision,’ Carrick told Sky Sports when asked to explain his team selection at Old Trafford.
‘We have to make the right one for today and the team to get that performance we want.’
When asked if Fernandes had been dropped for football reasons, Carrick bluntly replied: ‘Pure football.’
Fernandes was named amongst United’s substitutes (Picture: Hunter/Action Plus/Shutterstock)
The United captain criticised Carrick’s tactics following the side’s midweek defeat to Como
Addressing Carrick’s team selection in the Sky Sports studio, former Liverpool and England defender Carragher suggested the bold call to remove Fernandes could have a galvanising affect of United’s overall performance.
He made this statement while acknowledging that the 32-year-old Portugal international was undoubtedly the club’s ‘best player’.
‘He is Manchester United’s best player, we can’t get away from that, PFA Player of the Year last year,’ Carragher said.
‘Carrick had to make a stand, I think we all agree on that, but the ones they’ve put in there, they need a result.
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‘You’re hoping actually, “Could this bring us together as a group?”, because there’s no doubt about it, even though he’s the best player, there will be a lot of people who don’t actually like playing with him in the Manchester United team because he’s permanently throwing his arms up at people.
‘He’s basically saying, “You aren’t good enough to play with me”, that’s basically what we see from Fernandes a lot when things aren’t going right for Manchester United.
‘So hopefully the players in that dressing room stick together and that’s what they’ll need today, they’ll need the support as well because confidence is low.
‘They need to start well and actually enjoy playing football with each other and if things aren’t going well or someone gives a couple of passes away, they get together, keep encouraging people and pushing people on.’
Carrick’s men are on a seven-game winless run (Picture: Getty)
According to Carragher, Carrick had little choice but to lay down the law and drop his captain.
Unsurprisingly, the ex-Liverpool centre-back did not buy Carrick’s explanation that Fernandes had been removed from the side for purely footballing reasons.
Carragher added: ‘Unfortunately for supporters, most people in football are terrible liars and in that job you have to lie unfortunately.
‘The manager doesn’t come out and say what he really thinks about his players and players don’t really say what they think about the manager’s tactics or the teams he’s picked.
Fernandes could receive a ‘mixed reaction’ at Old Trafford, says Young (Picture: Reuters)
‘He’s come out and been brutally honest and you just can’t do it. We all know that.
‘It’s almost a code of conduct. Inside a football club, you’re almost trying to present this front that everything is better than what it is on the inside and that’s what it is.’
Ashley Young, who was on punditry duty alongside Carragher in the Sky Sports studio, said he wouldn’t be surprised if Fernandes received a few boos and jeers from the Old Trafford faithful.
‘It could be a mixed reaction to be honest,’ the former United and England winger explained.
The Portuguese was last season’s PFA Player of the Year (Picture: Reuters)
‘With the comments that Fernandes made in the week, some fans will cheer him and some might boo him.
‘When you go for a manager and you direct it at the manager after the game, and you’re not performing in that way, then yeah it is, it’s one of the worst things you can come out and say.
‘There’s no player that is bigger than the football club. Whether you’re the captain or you think you’ve got a right, you think you’re entitled to speak in that way, it’s not possible.
‘He’s got to go out, he’s got to show himself, he’s got to show his personality.
‘But he’s throwing his arms up in games and you can’t pull the wool over people’s eyes in football. He’ll understand.’
