Manchester United’s decision to leave Bruno Fernandes on the bench has raised fresh questions about the captain’s importance to the team, with his absence offering an opportunity to examine a striking difference in the club’s results.
Fernandes was named among the substitutes for United’s Premier League meeting with Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday, following a week in which the midfielder had publicly voiced his frustration with Michael Carrick’s tactics.
The decision has brought renewed attention to Fernandes’ influence on the team, with Jamie Carragher offering his own assessment of the relationship between the Portuguese international and his Manchester United team-mates.
Manchester United’s record with and without Bruno Fernandes speaks volumes
Manchester United’s Premier League record since the start of the 2022-23 season shows a considerable difference between matches in which Fernandes starts and those in which he does not.
United have won 72 of the 149 league matches in which Fernandes has started, recording a win ratio of 48.3 per cent and averaging 1.7 points per game.
By comparison, United have won just one of the 10 matches in which Fernandes has not started, producing a win ratio of 10 per cent and an average of 0.6 points per game.
The contrast extends to their attacking output. United have averaged 1.6 goals per game with Fernandes in the starting line-up, compared with 0.7 without him starting.
Although the sample of matches without Fernandes in the starting XI is significantly smaller, the figures underline the scale of the difference in United’s results.
The statistics also provide important context for Carrick’s decision to leave the midfielder on the bench against Bournemouth. While the selection decision was described by Carrick as football-related, Fernandes’ absence inevitably invites questions about how United perform without one of their most influential players from the start.
Jamie Carragher makes claim about Man Utd players and Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes was named among the substitutes for the match at Old Trafford on Sunday, October 25, following a midweek outburst that questioned manager Michael Carrick’s tactics.
The Portugal international has been a central figure at United since joining from Sporting CP in January 2020, regularly carrying the team’s creative responsibility and serving as captain.
However, his on-pitch reactions to team-mates have also attracted criticism, with Carragher suggesting that Fernandes’ visible frustration can affect the atmosphere within the side.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher acknowledged Fernandes’ importance to United but argued that Carrick’s decision could give the squad an opportunity to reset.
“You don't want it to blow up in your face, he is Manchester United's best player, we can't get away from that,” Carragher said.
“PFA Player of the Year last year, but Carrick had to make a stand.”
Carragher then suggested that Fernandes’ behaviour on the pitch could have an impact on how his team-mates feel when playing alongside him.
“Even though he's their best player, there will be a lot of people who don't actually like playing with Fernandes,” he said.
The former Liverpool defender pointed to the midfielder’s tendency to throw his arms up when team-mates make mistakes, arguing that such reactions can give the impression he believes others are not good enough to play alongside him.
Carragher’s comments were an assessment of the potential dressing-room impact rather than confirmation that United players have expressed those feelings themselves.
Michael Carrick faces test of Man Utd dressing-room unity
Fernandes’ omission came amid a difficult period for United, with tensions involving the club’s leadership becoming increasingly public.
The midfielder’s midweek criticism of Carrick’s tactics placed the manager under pressure to respond, although Carrick maintained that the selection decision was based on footballing considerations.
Carragher believes the priority now must be for United’s players to respond collectively rather than allow the situation to deepen divisions within the squad.
He called for the team to support one another, particularly given the concerns surrounding confidence, and urged players to remain encouraging when mistakes occur on the pitch.
United’s starting front three against Bournemouth consisted of Amad, Mason Mount and Bryan Mbeumo, with Fernandes among the substitutes alongside Matheus Cunha and Joshua Zirkzee.
The selection also came after Lisandro Martínez retained his place in the starting line-up for the previous weekend’s match against Leeds United, despite publicly criticising the club’s hierarchy.
Former United defender Gary Neville also voiced concerns about the situation, arguing that prominent figures at the club had contributed to a wider breakdown in unity.
“The two most prominent players in the team - a World Cup winner and the PFA Player of the Year - coming out and hammering the owners, hammering the sporting director and criticising the manager, all in the space of a week means the players have completely gone,” Neville said.
Bruno Fernandes’ numbers underline his importance to Man Utd
Despite the debate surrounding his behaviour and relationship with team-mates, Fernandes’ performances this season underline why leaving him out remains a significant decision for Manchester United.
The midfielder has recorded three goals and one assist in seven appearances, playing 630 minutes in total. His three goals have come from an expected goals figure of 2.67, while his expected assists figure stands at 1.5.
Fernandes has also registered 18 touches in the opposition box and completed 409 passes at an 82 per cent success rate. His delivery from set pieces has remained a feature of his game, with 27 corners taken and one free-kick goal among his contributions.
The 31-year-old has additionally recorded 11 shots on target from outside the box, hit the woodwork twice and scored his only penalty this season. Defensively, he has made seven tackles and two blocks, alongside one interception.
Those figures highlight the attacking influence United lose when their captain is not in the starting line-up, even as questions continue over his on-pitch conduct.
Carragher’s argument is therefore less about Fernandes’ ability and more about whether United can become a more cohesive team without their most prominent creative figure. With the midfielder still producing goals and assists, Carrick faces a difficult balance between maintaining standards within the squad and getting the best out of one of his most important players.
Fernandes remains one of United’s key performers, making his absence from the starting line-up a significant talking point. Whether the decision strengthens the team’s collective spirit or creates further uncertainty will depend on how the squad responds in the weeks ahead.
For Carrick, the challenge is to restore confidence and establish a united group, while ensuring that the club’s biggest personalities contribute positively to the team’s performances.
