Alan Shearer has claimed that Bruno Fernandes has 'tarnished' his Manchester United legacy following his fallout with Michael Carrick over the last couple of weeks.

The Red Devils captain raised eyebrows when he questioned his manager's tactics after their side's 4-1 defeat by Como in the Champions League, and was subsequently left out of the team for their later loss against Bournemouth.

He spoke out just a matter of days after Lisandro Martinez had questioned United's activity behind the scenes, and left his United future in doubt.

That's according to all-time Premier League leading scorer Shearer, who claimed Fernandes' previous success is now marred.

'Fernandes is going to have to go out and perform, which he hasn't done for large parts this season,' Shearer told Betfair. 'I know he's been Man United’s go-to player for a long time now, he's been their best player, but it's no way for the captain to behave.

'He owes the manager a performance, he owes the club a performance, and he owes the fans a performance.'

He added: 'I think he has tarnished his legacy at the club. I think the reaction that you saw at the end of the game against Bournemouth last week was pretty telling whose side the fans are on and it's Michael Carrick's, not Bruno Fernandes’, despite what he's done for the club.

'Whether that was part of him speaking to the manager and thinking, woah, I have got this wrong here. I don't know.'

Fernandes and Carrick held clear-the-air talks after the 3-0 Bournemouth loss, and many expect the midfielder to return to the side this weekend against Chelsea.

But it's unclear what will follow. Shearer, meanwhile, isn't convinced all is well.

'Fernandes and Carrick’s peace talks could’ve and probably should’ve happened before the game last week,' he added. 'Then there might not have been as much noise.

'Are they just papering over the cracks? I've been in a situation myself where I've not really got on with the manager in terms of Ruud Gullit and I guess you'd have to be on the inside to know what's really going on, but it would seem strange for him saying what he said, being left out and then being reinstated and then walking out as captain this week.

'It's not a good look, is it? It's pretty chaotic.'

Old Trafford bosses decided not to sack Carrick with United in 16th place in the Premier League table, one point clear of the relegation zone.

The 45-year-old still faces a battle to improve results and performances and convince his employers that he remains the right person for the job.

Sources confirmed that Carrick has been given a second chance, and said that everyone is focused on showing a response on the pitch at Stamford Bridge following United’s worst start to a league season in 40 years.

The United boss was left in limbo after chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox held crisis talks on Monday with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer.

The first indications that Carrick had earned a reprieve came shortly before 8am on Tuesday when he arrived at Carrington dressed in a club tracksuit and oversaw training as the players returned after a day off.

He had also turned up at the training ground on Monday but was there to watch United’s Under-21s play in a behind-closed-doors game against Hull City alongside his No2 Steve Holland and Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher. He stayed for three hours before leaving with his son Jacey, a member of United’s Under-18s.