Fernandes says Manchester United did not win to save Carrick’s job

Bruno Fernandes spoke on Tuesday about Manchester United’s dramatic victory over Roma and the questions it raised over Michael Carrick’s future. The captain dismissed the suggestion that the team had won to keep its manager in the job. Speaking to Prime Video, he said the players “do not need to save anyone’s job”.

The victory followed a difficult first half at Old Trafford. Manchester United were two goals behind at the break, as pressure on Carrick intensified and his future with the team appeared to be in danger. The players eventually turned the match around to win 3-2, ending a run of nine games without a victory.

The result also came during a difficult spell for the club. A British news agency reported that Manchester United had dropped to seventeenth in the Premier League, with the same goal difference as the places threatened by relegation. The club had also lost two of its first three Champions League matches. Fernandes stressed that the team needed to get through the period together: “The club needed this win, and the players needed it too. We were working hard to get out of this situation together.”

The captain also pushed back against accounts of disagreements with Carrick. He described a difficult period and said the media had circulated speculation and lies about what had supposedly happened between the manager and him. Fernandes explained that Carrick had left him on the bench because his level had dropped. He acknowledged that some people had interpreted the decision as punishment for his comments, but said he would have considered it fair even if that were the reason: the manager makes the decision.

Fernandes said the episode had not shaken his confidence in Carrick, the coaching staff or the club’s players. His aim, he added, is to win every match ahead. Manchester United are now preparing to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday. Fernandes hopes the Roma result can provide a fresh starting point this season and help the club regain its supporters’ trust.