Bruno Fernandes is reportedly set to start for Manchester United when they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend. The midfielder was left out of the Red Devils side that lost to Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon following his explosive comments in midweek.
Fernandes Benched After Comments
Speaking after the Champions League defeat at Como, he publicly questioned Michael Carrick's tactics and insisted that it was up to the 45-year-old to sort things out, rather than the players. Fernandes was left as an unused substitute against Bournemouth despite being sent to warm up midway through the second half.
Carrick later insisted that it was purely a footballing decision to drop the United skipper to the bench. Others weren't convinced by that explanation, with Jamie Carragher suggesting that Carrick was deliberately trying to "embarrass" Fernandes as a result of his comments after the Como game.
Clear-the-Air Talks
The two parties have since held clear-the-air talks at Carrington and there is an expectation that Fernandes will return to the United side against Chelsea, according to The Telegraph. In fact, it's claimed the 32-year-old is poised to start the match, as long as injury or illness does not come into play in the meantime.
Carrick is believed to have drawn a line under Fernandes' recent comments, although it's not clear if the midfielder apologised during their discussions. He was pictured in good spirits at training on Wednesday morning and will be hoping to lead United to only their second Premier League victory of the season on Saturday afternoon.
Team Unity and Fan Relations
The report adds that staff have been encouraged by what they have seen from Fernandes over the last 48 hours as they aim to pull together and start delivering results. He isn't exactly the most popular figure among supporters right now, having been loudly booed alongside the rest of his team-mates following the Bournemouth defeat.
It's been reported that Fernandes has been making a conscious effort to win over the fans by granting more requests for pictures and autographs at Carrington this week. He was also among the group of players who greeted supporters as part of United's annual Dream Day, which gives those with life-altering illnesses the opportunity to meet their heroes.
