Bruno Fernandes is expected to be in contention to return to the Manchester United starting XI against Chelsea this weekend after clear-the-air talks with Michael Carrick.

Carrick is set to remain in charge at Old Trafford ahead of Saturday’s trip to Stamford Bridge having been handed another chance to rescue the dire situation at the club.

Fernandes condemned the manager’s tactics following last week’s Champions League defeat to Como and was dropped from the team against Bournemouth on Sunday. The skipper was an unused substitute as United suffered another harrowing defeat at home to Bournemouth with the club now without a win in eight games.

Carrick explained his reason for dropping his captain were ‘pure football’.

‘You’ve got options to choose from, it’s always a difficult decision, he said. ‘We’ve got to make what we feel is the right one for the team to try to get that performance that we want.’

Carrick held talks with chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox after the defeat to the Cherries with the head coach meeting with Fernandes at United’s training ground on Tuesday.

The pair held face-to-face discussions and while it is not known if Fernandes apologised for his public criticism, he is now expected to be involved in west London on Saturday, Sky Sports report.

Fernandes has endured a difficult season, carrying an injury in September. He was also the victim of a burglary with a masked gang breaking into his £4million home while he was away in Italy for the Como game.

His comments after the 4-1 defeat was slammed by former United skipper Gary Neville who accused him of throwing his manager under the bus.

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‘Eric Cantona was very unorthodox as a captain,” he said. ‘Roy Keane could sometimes be explosive in his interviews after matches, but they weren’t whingers about the tactics, about pressing, or excuse merchants.

‘Bruno can’t press. To come out and whinge after the game about the manager’s tactics, when you’ve just lost 4-1, and a few thousand fans have paid thousands of pounds to travel over in that far corner and get wet through. I’m sorry, read the room, Bruno.

‘This is not a time for whinging, throwing your arms up in the air. This is a time for you to stand up and say, that’s not good enough. Be positive. Do something with a positive influence as a captain. But he’s not.

‘He’s gone and basically thrown his manager under the bus the week after [Lisandro] Martinez did the same.’