Michael Carrick has insisted that he will do what is best for Manchester United after being questioned about Bruno Fernandes’ future as captain following their Champions League defeat to Como.

According to a report by Metro on Friday, October 23, 2026, Carrick refused to rule out dropping Fernandes for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Bournemouth after the midfielder publicly questioned his manager’s tactical decisions.

United suffered a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Como on Wednesday, with the Italian side producing an impressive performance against Carrick’s team.

Fernandes expressed his frustration after the match, criticising United’s approach to pressing and suggesting the responsibility for the tactical decisions rested with the coaching staff.

Asked whether Carrick had made the wrong tactical choices, the Portugal international said: "That’s on the manager and staff to see it, not me."

Carrick responded by stressing the importance of hard work, saying: "if you don’t run, and you don’t run forward, and you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win."

The disagreement has raised questions about Fernandes’ position in the team and whether he should retain the captain’s armband. Former United captain Wayne Rooney has urged Carrick to take the midfielder "out of the firing line" amid the growing scrutiny.

However, Carrick declined to provide a direct answer when asked whether Fernandes could be dropped or stripped of the captaincy ahead of the Bournemouth fixture.

"The most important thing is the team and the dynamics of the squad and the football club and I always do what is best for the club," Carrick said.

When pressed further about the possibility of removing Fernandes as captain, he added: "Whatever the situation is I will do what is best for the football club."

Carrick also refused to disclose whether he had spoken privately with Fernandes about his post-match comments, saying: "If I have spoken to him or I haven’t spoken to him, I don’t think this is the time to go into too much detail."

The United manager had earlier reaffirmed his determination to improve the club’s situation, despite increasing pressure following the heavy defeat in Europe.