Bruno Fernandes has been dropped to the bench for Manchester United's Premier League meeting with Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday after publicly questioning manager Michael Carrick's tactics.
The 32-year-old captain criticised United's approach following Wednesday's 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como, which extended the club's winless run to seven matches across all competitions. Carrick apologised to supporters after that loss and has now opted to start Fernandes among the substitutes for the league fixture.
Carrick responds to captaincy questions
Asked on Friday whether he would strip Fernandes of the captaincy, Carrick said: "I'll always do what's best for the football club. If I've spoken to (Fernandes) or haven't spoken to him, I don't think this is the time to go into too much detail."
Carrick opened his pre-match news conference with a five-and-a-half-minute speech admitting United have "lost our way", while insisting he was "totally confident" the club would recover.
Team news and injury latest
United are seeking just their second Premier League victory of the season against the Cherries. Despite the pressure surrounding Carrick's future, he is set to remain in charge for the match.
Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford remain sidelined with knocks, but Ayden Heaven is back after illness. Kobbie Mainoo is still about a week away from returning from a knock sustained in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham, joining Luke Shaw, Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte and Tom Heaton in the treatment room.
Leny Yoro is available again after serving a European ban and could earn an immediate recall, potentially partnering Harry Maguire in central defence after Matthijs de Ligt looked rusty on his first start in nearly a year. Joshua Zirkzee could be rewarded with a rare Premier League start after scoring a consolation goal as a substitute on Wednesday, with Matheus Cunha paying the price for an ineffective 45 minutes for which he was hauled off at the break.
Match details
Kick-off is at 2pm GMT on Sunday October 25, 2026 at Old Trafford, with the match broadcast on Sky Sports. Betting odds list Man Utd at 11/10, Bournemouth at 21/10 and the draw at 5/2.
