Former Premier League manager Tony Pulis has criticised Bruno Fernandes for his comments following Manchester United's Champions League defeat to Como. The Portuguese playmaker questioned Michael Carrick's tactics after the loss in northern Italy and was subsequently dropped to the bench for United's match against Bournemouth.
Pulis on Fernandes' Conduct
Speaking to BBC Sport, Pulis said Fernandes' remarks added to the issues facing Carrick, who is already under pressure. He described watching Carrick's post-match press conference in Italy as "really difficult," adding that the performance raised questions about the team's attitude.
Pulis said: "Listening to the way his captain spoke, after his own example typified his team's reluctance to do the above, it again showed me how difficult it must be at that club at the moment." He added that "many members of that team did follow their captain's example, but in a totally unprofessional way."
Team Changes and Carrick's Response
Fernandes was one of four changes from the Como defeat, with Matheus Cunha, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui also benched. Amad, Ayden Heaven, Carlos Baleba and Leny Yoro came into the starting lineup.
Explaining the decision to drop Fernandes, Carrick said: "Picking the team, starting XI when you've got options to choose is always a difficult decision. We've got to make what we feel is the right one for today, for the team to try and get the performance that we want." When asked if Fernandes' post-match comments played a part, Carrick said: "Pure football, pure football reasons."
