Carrick and Fernandes Clear The Air Before Facing Chelsea

Michael Carrick and Bruno Fernandes sat down together this week to repair a rift that had opened over the Manchester United captain's role in the side, with Sky Sports Football reporting the pair used the meeting to pledge a shared push to rescue the club's campaign ahead of Saturday's trip to Chelsea.

The tension traces back to United's 4-2 collapse against Como in the Champions League, after which Fernandes openly questioned Carrick's tactical approach. Carrick's response was to leave his captain out of the starting line-up for the visit of Bournemouth, a decision that backfired badly as United slipped to a 3-0 home defeat, their eighth match without a win in all competitions, according to Yahoo Sports.

That run has left United 16th in the Premier League after eight matches, a sharp fall from the form that carried the club to third place and a return to the Champions League last season.

Fernandes was central to that revival. He set a Premier League record with 21 assists in the campaign before Carrick's appointment, and after the Englishman replaced Ruben Amorim in January he produced 14 goals and 13 assists in 17 matches, form that brought him the Premier League Player of the Season and FWA Player of the Year awards, Yahoo Sports reported.

This season the numbers have collapsed to four goals and a single assist in 11 appearances, with his only notable contribution a hat-trick in the 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, still United's sole league victory of the campaign.

Carrick's own position has come under scrutiny too. Metro Football reported that Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte, Julian Nagelsmann and Fabian Hurzeler have all been linked as potential successors, but BBC Sport, cited by Metro, said the head coach would be "given the opportunity to turn things around" rather than face an immediate removal. He took training at Carrington on Tuesday and is expected in the dugout at Stamford Bridge.

Gary Neville said he had expected Sunday's defeat to prove fatal for Carrick. Speaking to Sky Sports, the former United defender said: "I'm happy. I'm surprised but I'm happy because I was absolutely certain that what I witnessed on Sunday would be the end of Michael."

Fernandes' situation carries extra weight because his contract runs only to 2027, and the public criticism of his head coach has fuelled speculation about where his long-term future lies.

United's attempt to arrest the slide begins at Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime, with Carrick needing a reunited dressing room, and a recharged captain, to end the longest winless run of his time in interim charge.