Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has dismissed reports of a fallout with head coach Michael Carrick, explaining that the pair have cleared the air following tensions over his earlier comments.
Speaking after United’s 3-2 comeback victory over AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League, Fernandes said Carrick’s decision to drop him to the bench was based on his performances rather than a personal disagreement.
“It’s been tough, there’s been a lot of speculation in the media. A lot of lies around many things that have happened between me and the manager, that we have cleared the air, then after that the manager took the decision to put me on the bench because I’m not performing. That’s fair,” Fernandes told Amazon Prime.
The Portugal international acknowledged that some viewed his omission as punishment for his earlier remarks but insisted Carrick had every right to make the decision.
“Everyone thought that was a punishment for the words that I had. And, if it was, it was right. The manager is the one who makes the decisions,” he added.
Fernandes also rejected suggestions that United’s victory was about saving Carrick’s job, insisting the result was important for the entire team.
“We don’t need to save anyone’s job. The club needed that win, the players needed that win. We have been working so hard to get out of this situation all together,” he said.
The victory ended United’s nine-game winless run across all competitions, giving Carrick’s side a much-needed lift after a difficult spell.
