According to reports by Daily Post on Wednesday November 4, 2026, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed the real reason manager Michael Carrick left him on the bench for the entire Premier League match against Bournemouth last month.

The Portuguese midfielder explained that his absence from the starting lineup was a decision based on his performances rather than punishment for publicly criticising the manager's tactics.

Fernandes made the revelation after helping Manchester United secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over AS Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The incident dates back to United's disappointing 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como, during which Fernandes publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with Carrick's tactical approach.

His comments generated considerable discussion among supporters and football analysts, with questions emerging about the relationship between the United captain and his manager.

Carrick subsequently left Fernandes out of the squad's starting lineup for the Premier League encounter against Bournemouth, which Manchester United lost 3-0.

The decision attracted attention because Fernandes had been one of the club's most important players, making his absence particularly noticeable during such a difficult result.

However, speaking after the Roma victory, the midfielder explained that Carrick had made the decision because he believed Fernandes was not performing well enough.

“The manager took a decision of making myself be on the bench because I wasn't performing. That's fair,” Fernandes told CBS Sports Golazo.

His explanation provides a different perspective on the situation, particularly after speculation that the decision was a direct response to his earlier criticism of Carrick.

Fernandes also addressed the rumours surrounding their relationship, insisting that several reports about disagreements between them were untrue.

He explained that they had cleared the air following the situation and that he understood the manager's responsibility to make selection decisions.

The midfielder's comments suggest that he accepts Carrick's authority to decide who starts matches, even when that decision involves leaving the club captain on the bench.

Meanwhile, Manchester United's comeback victory against Roma offered some relief after a difficult run of results.

The Red Devils initially fell two goals behind, with Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen scoring for the visitors. However, Fernandes converted a penalty before Matheus Cunha scored twice to complete the comeback.