Michael Carrick has been told to drop Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes for this weekend’s match against Leeds United.

Fernandes was arguably the best Premier League player last season, but he has underperformed at the start of this campaign.

The form of Man Utd‘s captain has been one of Carrick’s many issues at the start of this season, with United’s boss the current favourite to be the first Premier League manager sacked this term.

Therefore, Man Utd and Carrick need a positive result when they travel to face Leeds United on Sunday afternoon.

And to boost their chances, ex-Man Utd star Paul Parker has encouraged Carrick to drop Fernandes from his starting XI.

“They haven’t got someone who’s leading, Fernandes just doesn’t do enough and he’s had a poor season,” Parker told Metro.

“He just hasn’t been there when it’s needed, and it’s costing United now, and I think a strong manager, a manager who wants to make a mark and is willing to be brave, is going to make that decision.

“He [Fernandes] gets frustrated too easily, and he takes it out on his teammates, and at the moment, you need everything together. So, I would leave out Fernandes and try to get as many legs on that pitch as possible.”

Parker continued: “A lot of people come up with the usual new slang words: His numbers are good. I’m not into all that rubbish.

“I’m on about 90 minutes of grafts, and when he comes off, they know you’ve given everything, rather than waiting and looking at the stats after the game to say how well you played.

“I’m a realist, an old boy, I should say, really, and he doesn’t do enough. If you’re watching the game of football and put all that other rubbish away, then he just hasn’t done enough.”

Paul Parker issues verdict on Michael Carrick sack

Parker has also backed Carrick despite the ongoing sack speculation.

“I don’t think they can afford to sack Michael Carrick,” Parker added.

“I think you’ve just got to look at everything and you’ve got to look at what’s happened over the years, and it’s déjà vu again. Sometimes you have to look in the mirror at yourselves and what you’ve been doing.

“So, it’s not Michael Carrick who has a problem really, it’s Manchester United who have got a problem. You can’t keep blaming a manager.

“And that’s not me just backing an ex-Manchester United player; it’s me saying that I would back anybody who managed Manchester United because I know in this current climate, they haven’t got a chance in hell.

“There’s no ambition from above to try and win a league title and how can that be for Manchester United?”