Manchester United refuse to punish Bruno Fernandes after his scathing criticism of Carrick

Manchester United have decided not to strip captain Bruno Fernandes of the armband despite his public criticisms of manager Michael Carrick and his coaching staff following the defeat to Como by a score of four goals to one in the UEFA Champions League.

Manchester Evening News reports that the club is not looking to punish the Portuguese player for his comments, despite a sense of disappointment internally regarding what he said, given the understanding of the anger and frustration he expressed after the defeat.

Bruno Fernandes criticized the team's tactical approach, stating that the coaching staff decided against man-to-man pressing, which allowed Como's players the space and confidence to impose their style and exploit the flanks. He also emphasized the need to be bolder under pressure and to take risks with high pressing to disrupt the opponent.

When asked if Carrick made mistakes in his tactical choices, Fernandes replied: "That is up to the coach and his staff to assess, not me." He added that the team needs to press more courageously, noting that conceding an early goal just two minutes into the match put United in a difficult position and affected their ability to come back.