Bruno Fernandes has been restored to Manchester United's starting line-up for the match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with head coach Michael Carrick citing the captain's experience as a key factor in the decision.
The Reds' captain was dropped last weekend after criticising Carrick's tactics following the defeat to Como in the Champions League. Fernandes remained an unused substitute during the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth.
Clear-the-air talks
Carrick appeared to be on the verge of losing his job after the Bournemouth loss, but he kept his position following crisis talks. The head coach and captain then sat down for clear-the-air discussions on Tuesday.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Carrick said the issues between himself and Fernandes had been put to bed. Fernandes has now been selected to start at Stamford Bridge.
Carrick explains decision
Speaking to MUTV before the match, Carrick explained his reasoning for bringing Fernandes back into the starting eleven. "He's a big player, Bruno, he offers us so much, you know, with his experience. He's been through a lot here and achieved a lot and shown what he can bring to the team," he said.
"So he's an important part of the team for us and I think we've got a good balance today. We've got a good team and the boys are looking forward to it."
Cunha threat acknowledged
Matheus Cunha scored the winner at Stamford Bridge last season. On the forward, Carrick added: "I mean of course, you know, whoever scores, whoever makes the difference. I think that's the beauty of it."
"There's always the next opportunity. There's always the next moment to make the most of it, whether it's Matheus today, whether it's somebody else or whether it's just a collective whole team good performance to win the game. It's what we are looking for."
