Manchester United head to Chelsea this weekend with manager Michael Carrick fighting to keep his job after a winless run of eight games. The club captain Bruno Fernandes has been told he is effectively 'finished' at Old Trafford, while striker Benjamin Sesko has been ruled out until at least January.
Carrick under pressure ahead of Chelsea clash
Carrick is on extremely thin ice after consecutive three-goal defeats in the Champions League and Premier League. Tensions have boiled over, with Fernandes criticising the manager's tactics after a 4-1 thrashing by Como. The club captain was relegated to the substitutes' bench for Sunday's 3-0 loss to Bournemouth as a result of his outburst.
United are slumped in 16th, just one point above the relegation zone going into the clash with fifth-placed Chelsea. Carrick narrowly avoided the sack earlier this week, with co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Avram Glazer, and Joel Glazer holding a crucial conference call with chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox to discuss the manager's position.
Scholes says Fernandes is 'unforgivable'
Paul Scholes believes Bruno Fernandes' Manchester United days are done and has called on the Portugal star to abandon European football altogether and head to the Saudi Pro League. The 51-year-old labelled the 32-year-old midfielder's comments "unforgivable" and maintained that those at United would never be able to place their faith in him again.
"What Bruno Fernandes said last week, I think that's unforgivable," Scholes said. "How can Bruno Fernandes be trusted to be captain of any team he ever goes to now? I think he probably needs to get away from European football and just go to Saudi, just get out the way. I don't think any manager, any member of staff can trust him after that."
Carrick ready to recall Fernandes
Despite the criticism, Carrick is ready to recall Fernandes to the starting line-up this weekend. Before the defeat to Bournemouth, Fernandes had featured in every minute of United's Premier League season, making his exclusion particularly striking. However, Carrick, Fernandes, and senior staff have now agreed to move past the dispute, after the manager and player held showdown talks to clear the air.
The internal peace deal could clear the path for the midfielder to feature at Stamford Bridge. Anything less than a commanding display against Chelsea could spell the end of Carrick's reign.
Sesko ruled out until January
United have suffered another major injury blow with Benjamin Sesko ruled out until at least January. The striker's ongoing shin injury reportedly requires complete rest, with United's medical team investigating the best treatment for the issue he picked up at the end of last season.
The 23-year-old briefly returned to first-team action at the start of the season, having missed the entirety of pre-season, but he suffered a recurrence of the injury and has been sidelined since the 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat against Brighton in September. The Slovenian will not return until at least the New Year, with him needing more time to rest and recover to fully heal the issue, before getting back up to match sharpness.
