Manchester United are expected to drop captain Bruno Fernandes for Sunday's Premier League match against Bournemouth after he publicly criticized manager Michael Carrick, Yahoo Sports reported, citing The Athletic.
The reported punishment is the answer for supporters asking why Bruno Fernandes is not playing today. Fernandes questioned the coaching staff's tactical approach after Wednesday's 4-1 defeat in Italy.
The decision would come at a difficult time for Carrick. United host Bournemouth at 2pm on a run of seven games without a win across all competitions, and Yahoo Sports said the manager is under increasing pressure.
Why is Bruno Fernandes not playing today?
According to The Athletic, as reported by Yahoo Sports, Carrick has decided to punish his captain by removing him from the starting XI.
The move follows comments Fernandes made after the heavy defeat in Italy on Wednesday. Yahoo Sports reported that Carrick has not confirmed whether the midfielder will keep his place.
The club will confirm Carrick's starting line-up at 12.45pm GMT, and that announcement will settle the question.
What Fernandes said about United's pressing tactics
Fernandes suggested United needed to press opponents more aggressively, according to Yahoo Sports. He said the decision not to use a man-to-man pressing system had been made by the coaching staff.
Public criticism of a manager's tactics by a club captain is rare. It also came during a winless run that has already put Carrick's approach under scrutiny.
Is Bruno Fernandes still Manchester United captain?
The reporting is not consistent on this point. The same Yahoo Sports article that cites The Athletic on Fernandes losing his starting place also states that he is not expected to be dropped or stripped of the captaincy.
On the armband itself, the reporting suggests Fernandes will remain captain beyond this match even if he starts on the bench against Bournemouth. Whether he starts remains unresolved until the line-up is published.
Speaking before the game, Carrick refused to rule out dropping his captain. Asked about the possibility, he told reporters: "The most important thing for me is the team, the squad and dynamics in the squad."
He added: "It's about the football club. I'll always do what is best for the football club."
Carrick did not address Fernandes's comments on pressing directly in the remarks Yahoo Sports reported. He also did not say whether the matter had been settled privately with the player.
Manchester United vs Bournemouth lineup: who is injured?
Carrick's selection is already limited by injuries. Yahoo Sports reported that United are dealing with several fitness concerns before facing a Bournemouth side it described as impressive.
The following players are expected to miss the match through injury:
- Kobbie Mainoo
- Luke Shaw
- Benjamin Sesko
- Patrick Dorgu
- Manuel Ugarte
Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford are also doubts, according to the report.
Without Mainoo and Ugarte, leaving Fernandes out would remove another senior midfielder from the starting side. The list of absentees also includes Sesko in attack and Shaw and Dorgu in defense.
Kickoff time and what comes next
The match kicks off at 2pm, and the team news is due at 12.45pm GMT.
Several questions remain open. These include whether Fernandes is left out, whether he keeps the captaincy after this match, and whether United can end their seven-game winless run against Bournemouth.
Once the line-up is published, attention is likely to turn to Fernandes and Carrick themselves. Any comment either man makes after the game should show whether the dispute over pressing tactics has been resolved or has grown.
For now, the only confirmed timetable is the club's: the starting XI at 12.45pm GMT, followed by kickoff against Bournemouth at 2pm.