‘Fully committed’ Fernandes to remain Man Utd captain

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick says Bruno Fernandes is “fully committed” to the club and will continue as captain.

Carrick dropped Fernandes to the bench for Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth after the Portuguese questioned the tactics used in a 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como.

The defeat by Bournemouth left Carrick’s future hanging by a thread, but the 45-year-old will be in charge for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea.

It remains to be seen whether Fernandes will return to the starting line-up, but the pair held clear-the-air talks at United’s Carrington training ground on Tuesday in a bid to move forward.

Carrick says there is “no decision to be made” over whether Fernandes remains captain.

“We are clear with the situation of the team, and as a football club,” said Carrick.

“He [Fernandes] is an important player for this group. He has been and he will be.

“We’ve got to make a difference, and we’ve got to push things in a good direction.

“He’s fully committed to this football club; he’s fully committed to making things better. There are absolutely no issues with that.

“It doesn’t change for me. It was a decision for what we felt for the [Bournemouth] game. That’s it.

“He’s the one that’s led the team so well for many a game and many a year, and he’ll continue to do that. There are absolutely no issues with that.”

Carrick ‘doesn’t need assurances’ over future

United have gone eight games without a win as they head to Chelsea – their worst run of results since 2015-16.

Not since the 1988-89 campaign have they had a sequence of nine matches without a win.

Nearly 40 hours passed between United losing against Bournemouth on Sunday and the club providing clarification on Carrick’s future, with the Englishman being given a chance to turn things around at Old Trafford.

Talks involving the Glazer family, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox took place before Carrick’s immediate future was confirmed.

It seems likely he will remain in post for next Tuesday’s Champions League match against Roma, and the Premier League encounter with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on 8 November, after which there is a two-week international break.

Carrick, though, says he does not need guarantees over his position.

“I don’t need any assurances from anyone,” he said.

“I totally get the position. I understand the job. I understand the responsibilities. I understand what comes with that. So, I really don’t need any assurances from anyone in that regard.”

Asked if he was surprised to still be in a job, Carrick said: “No. I’m here to do my job. I’m here to do the best for the team, and I’m desperate to make us better and improve things. So, I’m not surprised, no.”