Bruno Fernandes admits Carrick was right to benchh him

Some captains, when they get benched, get angry and say so. And then there are others, like Bruno Fernandes, who would rather own up to it and admit the manager was right. That is exactly what the Portuguese midfielder did this week, following a turbulent couple of days at Manchester United.

It all started when Fernandes was left out of the starting lineup for the Premier League match against Bournemouth. The reason? A few days earlier, the midfielder himself had questioned the tactical approach of his manager, Michael Carrick. The decision to bench him was quickly read as a direct response to those comments, and that's when all sorts of rumors began swirling about a supposed rift between player and coach.

What is certain is that Fernandes proved decisive again shortly after, this time in the Champions League against Roma. The captain converted a penalty and set up the goal for Matheus Cunha, in a comeback that finished 3-2 in favor of the Red Devils. That result also snapped an unwelcome streak: nine matches without a win.

With that victory still fresh, Fernandes spoke to Amazon Prime and was willing to take the heat out of the whole controversy. That's when he admitted, without hesitation, that Carrick's decision had been the right one.

It's been difficult, there was a lot of speculation in the media. A lot of lies about a lot of things that supposedly happened between the manager and me, that we argued and that's why he decided to bench me.Bruno Fernandes

The Portuguese went even further, taking ownership of the situation and making clear he holds no grudge over being left out.

Everyone thought it was punishment for what I said. If it was, it was the right call. The manager is the one who makes the decisions. It doesn't change the trust I have in him and in the coaching staff, or the trust every player at the club has. And it doesn't change my goal of winning every single game coming up for me.Bruno Fernandes

A win that isn't just about saving anyone

Beyond the gesture toward Carrick, Fernandes also wanted to tone down the idea that the win over Roma was some kind of lifeline for the manager. According to the captain, the focus lies elsewhere.

We don't have to save anyone's job. The club needed that win, the players needed it too. We're working very hard to get out of this situation together.Bruno Fernandes

Carrick, who wore the Manchester United shirt as a player between 2006 and his retirement in 2017, had already received backing from the club's hierarchy the week before. Even so, his future remains under scrutiny, and the next test arrives soon: Sunday, when the team hosts Aston Villa in the Premier League. After nine matches without a win, every result carries a bit more weight than usual.