Carrick held one‑on‑one meeting with captain Bruno Fernandes

28.10.2026 — Problems at Manchester United have reached a critical point: the team has gone eight matches without a victory, including heavy defeats of 4:1 to Como in the Champions League and 0:3 to Bournemouth in the Premier League. The club's hierarchy has publicly stuck by manager Michael Carrick, but the dressing room tensions remain evident.

Carrick and captain hold private talks

In an attempt to calm the situation, Carrick chose to meet one‑on‑one with captain Bruno Fernandes. The private meeting came after Fernandes publicly criticized aspects of the club, and he was named on the bench for the Bournemouth fixture.

The Portugal international's standing inside the squad is considerable: soon after Fernandes' public comments, team‑mate Lisandro Martinez also spoke to the media. That sequence underlined how much influence senior players continue to wield at Old Trafford.

Exactly what emerged from the Carrick–Fernandes conversation has not been disclosed and remains to be seen. Club sources say the manager is trying to stabilise results, but immediate improvement will be difficult given the upcoming schedule.

Manchester United face a testing run of fixtures in the weeks ahead: Chelsea, Roma, Aston Villa and Liverpool all loom, matches that will be viewed as key tests of whether Carrick can turn the tide.

For now the one‑on‑one meeting is a sign the manager is attempting direct intervention with senior players, while supporters and pundits await whether results follow.

Photo: press material from the event