Former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has defended captain Bruno Fernandes amid a difficult spell for the Reds and backed Michael Carrick to build a team capable of competing for trophies. Fernandes has not matched the high standards he set last season, despite opening this campaign with a hat-trick against Ipswich Town in August. Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Herrera said the scrutiny should not erase the responsibility Fernandes has shouldered across several seasons.

Herrera says Fernandes has often been the solution

“For me, he’s a leader. He has had Manchester United on his back a lot of years, a lot of seasons,” Herrera said on the podcast, in comments reported by The Mirror and The Peoples Person. He argued that Fernandes has taken responsibility in difficult moments: asking for the ball, scoring and assisting, and speaking to the media after defeats.

Herrera’s defence comes as the captain’s form and role remain under close scrutiny during United’s broader slump. The former midfielder said Fernandes could have left but stayed to face difficult periods, and believes the criticism risks overlooking what he has contributed.

Herrera said Fernandes has repeatedly been a solution for United rather than the problem. – Ander Herrera, speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents

Fernandes’ reduced creative output has been one part of the conversation around United’s struggles, alongside wider questions about the team’s form. Herrera’s point is not that the captain has been beyond criticism; it is that his record of stepping forward in adversity deserves to be part of the assessment.

Herrera also made a clear case for patience with Carrick, whom he believes can lead United towards silverware. He said coaches need time to build something, while acknowledging that the Premier League has become more competitive than the one he encountered during his own United spell.

Herrera said Carrick is the right man to bring trophies to the club and should be given time to build something. His backing is emphatic, though it is a belief in Carrick’s capacity to compete rather than a guarantee of a title on a fixed schedule.

Herrera’s own United exit still stings

Herrera’s perspective comes from five years at Old Trafford. He joined from Athletic Club in 2014, made 189 appearances and scored 20 goals in all competitions before leaving as a free agent in 2019; he later played for Paris Saint-Germain before returning to Athletic Club and Real Zaragoza.

He said the club informed him by letter that it would automatically extend his fifth season, rather than calling to discuss keeping him. Herrera said he had been happy at United and would have liked to stay, but the way the message was delivered left him hurt.

Herrera said receiving the letter made him feel his time at United was over and left him heartbroken. – Ander Herrera, speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents

Fernandes and Carrick remain under the spotlight

United’s results will keep attention on both the captain’s influence and Carrick’s plans for the side. Herrera believes Fernandes has repeatedly carried responsibility and that Carrick can build a team that competes, but his comments do not remove the pressure for improvement.

On the prospect of a Premier League title in two or three years, Herrera said he could not guarantee one but believed Carrick’s side would be competing.