Michael Carrick and Bruno Fernandes held clear-the-air talks this week. Fernandes was an unused substitute against Bournemouth after criticising Carrick’s tactics during the Champions League defeat by Como but it seems the situation has been resolved – for now. Dropping Fernandes did not do United any good against Bournemouth, who ran riot at Old Trafford, and the captain is expected to return to the starting lineup for the trip to Chelsea.
If that happens, he owes Carrick a performance. Fernandes has been poor this season and it is time he did his talking on the pitch. Jacob Steinberg Since Manchester City were found guilty of serially breaching Premier League financial rules, Enzo Maresca’s team have won four games (including Wednesday’s Carabao Cup shootout victory over Brighton) and lost two.
Saturday’s 2-1 reverse at Aston Villa was their first Premier League defeat and should another follow in their rematch with the Seagulls, the manager may start to fear the guilty verdict and possible sanction (demotion to the Championship, for example) may become a distraction to his players. There is a precedent for City initially responding well to adversity, before it then affected results. After Rodri sustained a serious knee injury against Arsenal in September 2024, Pep Guardiola’s team went undefeated in seven matches, winning six.
But then the wheels clattered off, with one victory and 10 defeats in the next 13. Jamie Jackson The last time north-east opposition visited the CBS Arena, Frank Lampard’s side had no trouble finding the net, but their four goals against Newcastle on 12 October make up two-thirds of their league total for the season. Perhaps the most creative player at the club has spent most of this campaign watching from the bench.
Gustavo Hamer, who created 12 goals for his Sheffield United teammates in the Championship last season, has asked to play for the under-21s to get his minutes up. Will he get more than four minutes off the bench against the only team beneath Coventry in the table? Billy Munday Beating Milan and then Manchester United made for a halcyon week in Bournemouth’s history.
Winning at Old Trafford and defeating Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday all followed Marco Rose’s first Premier League win, against Sunderland on 18 October, which came as a great relief. The project is back on course. Eli Junior Kroupi, a late substitute last Sunday, has returned to the squad.
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