Sportsupdated 1h ago3 min read
MapCarrick And Fernandes Hold Clear-The-Air Talks Before Manchester United Trip To Chelsea
“part of the reason United decided against sacking Carrick was financial – it's cheaper to keep him employed.”
“the predicament at the club is not seen as being entirely Carrick's fault by the board.”
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Carrick and Fernandes held clear-the-air talks at Carrington ahead of Chelsea match. Fernandes benched for Bournemouth loss after criticising Carrick's tactics following Como defeat.
Talks Before Chelsea
Michael Carrick and Bruno Fernandes held clear-the-air talks at United's Carrington training ground before Manchester United's trip to Chelsea, with Fernandes having been an unused substitute during United's 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth on Sunday. Fernandes, 32, was dropped to the bench after he criticised Carrick's tactics following the 4-1 loss against Como in the Champions League, and the talks were aimed at airing issues. Carrick, 45, will take charge of the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, and United's board decided the manager deserved the opportunity to turn things around at Old Trafford despite the team languishing in 16th place in the Premier League.
Kobbie Mainoo returned to training after a fortnight out through injury, and sources have told BBC Sport that the club have shortlisted former Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe and ex-Germany and Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann as potential replacements for Carrick. ESPN also said Carrick and Fernandes met for talks separate to a wider meeting of the full squad to discuss a way forward from United's current predicament, with Fernandes now considered available for the crunch match away to Chelsea on Saturday.
Tactics, Pressing, and Captaincy
Fernandes questioned the coaching staff's decision not to press man-to-man and to wait to win back the ball after the loss to Como, and he argued, "Sometimes you have to be braver under pressure, take the risk of pressing higher and uncomfortable them,". Carrick stressed collective effort beyond the chosen system, saying, "Whatever the tactics, if you don't run forward and backward, you're not going to win." Sky Sports News said Carrick and Fernandes met face to face to clear the air, and it added that the head coach was satisfied the animosity between them is over, even though it was not known if the midfielder apologised for his public criticism.
Gary Neville told Sky Sports that Fernandes had let himself down, and Neville said, "Bruno can't press." Neville also argued that Fernandes's post-match comments came at the wrong time, saying, "I'm sorry, read the room, Bruno."
What Happens Next
United's board opted to stick with Carrick for now, and it decided the 45-year-old deserved more time despite United being down in 16th place in the Premier League. The Guardian said Fernandes offered assurances that he is fully committed and intent on trying to turn the team’s season around in the clear-the-air talks, and it added that the rest of the players made the same vow at a squad meeting. The Guardian also said Carrick has to start winning games to remain as head coach long-term, and it noted that Fernandes is expected to start at Chelsea on Saturday after being dropped for Sunday's 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth.
Sports Illustrated said United's decision to keep Carrick in place followed the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth and the 4-1 loss to Como, and it described the upcoming match with Chelsea as a test of whether the relationship can be restored. The Guardian further reported that Jason Wilcox, the director of football, decided Carrick should be given more time, with Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann identified as prime candidates for any replacement decision.