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Fernandes benched in Bournemouth humbling
Fernandes was a surprise omission from the starting XI as United suffered a dismal 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth. The captain was dropped following his recent public criticism of the team's tactics during a Champions League loss to Como.
Despite trailing 2-0 at the interval, Carrick opted against introducing the Portuguese playmaker to salvage the result. Instead, Matheus Cunha, Lisandro Martinez, Joshua Zirkzee, and Shea Lacey were all brought on as second-half substitutes.
Fernandes spent periods of the second half warming up on the touchline but was ultimately left unused. Bournemouth then added a third goal to compound United's misery and secure a famous away victory.
Cryptic Instagram reaction
Getty ImagesIn the aftermath of the bruising defeat, Fernandes’ social media activity raised eyebrows. The midfielder liked an Instagram reel featuring the caption: "Never push a loyal person to the point they no longer care."
The animated video carried significant undertones, depicting a giant rock figure shielding a small town from a massive boulder. After taking fire from the very town it is trying to protect, the figure releases the rock, allowing the settlement to be crushed and swept into the sea.
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The interaction strongly implies that Fernandes feels his ongoing efforts to carry a struggling United side have resulted in unwarranted backlash, prompting him to finally step away from the burden.
Carrick explains 'footballing' decision
Carrick insisted that dropping his captain was purely tactical, pushing back against suggestions of a deeper rift behind the scenes.
Explaining his team selection, the United boss said: "He's fit and available but we decided to pick the team that we did today. Unfortunately for everyone we didn't manage to get the right result. We want to push forward and create more, we could've done certain things but not enough really and that's pretty clear."
The situation threatens to boil over as United languish 17th in the Premier League. While the Old Trafford faithful chanted Carrick's name at full-time, the players were subjected to vigorous booing as they trudged down the tunnel.
Stamford Bridge showdown looms
Getty ImagesUnited must rapidly regroup ahead of a daunting Premier League trip to Chelsea. Having already been eliminated from the Carabao Cup, the Red Devils have a rare free midweek to address the escalating crisis.
It remains uncertain whether Carrick will still be in the dugout at Stamford Bridge. United executives are reportedly weighing up his dismissal, with internal discussions over his potential successor already underway as the club's domestic campaign hangs by a thread.