According to a report by the London Evening Standard on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been dropped to the bench for the Premier League encounter against Bournemouth following his recent criticism of manager Michael Carrick.

The Portuguese midfielder questioned United’s approach after their disappointing 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como in midweek. The result extended the club’s winless streak in all competitions to seven games, increasing the pressure on Carrick.

In response, the United manager has decided against including Fernandes in his starting XI for the Bournemouth fixture, although the midfielder remains among the substitutes.

When asked whether he was considering stripping Fernandes of the captaincy, Carrick replied: “I’ll always do what’s best for the football club.” He refused to provide further information about any discussions with the 32-year-old.

Carrick also used his press conference on Friday to acknowledge United’s struggles, admitting that the team had “lost our way”. However, he insisted that the club had the ability to overcome its current difficulties.

United head into Sunday’s encounter at Old Trafford hoping to secure only their second Premier League victory of the campaign. Despite increasing questions surrounding Carrick’s position following the defeat to Como, he is still expected to lead the team against Bournemouth.

The manager has received a boost with Ayden Heaven returning to the squad after recovering from illness. However, Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford remain unavailable because of injuries.

Kobbie Mainoo is expected to spend approximately another week on the sidelines after picking up a knock that has kept him out since the draw against Tottenham. Luke Shaw, Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte and Tom Heaton are also unavailable.

Meanwhile, Leny Yoro is back in contention after serving his European suspension. The French defender has been handed an immediate return to the starting lineup, where he will partner Harry Maguire in central defence.

Joshua Zirkzee is another player who could benefit from the selection changes after finding the net against Como. Matheus Cunha, however, has been left out of the starting team following an underwhelming performance that saw him withdrawn at half-time in midweek.

Confirmed Manchester United starting XI: Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Yoro, Heaven, Santos, Tielemans, Baleba, Mount, Amad and Mbeumo.

Substitutes: Darlow, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui, Bruno Fernandes, Fletcher, Cunha, Lacey and Zirkzee.