Manchester United coach Michael Carrick confirmed the return of Bruno Fernandes as captain for Saturday's match against Chelsea, on matchday nine of the Premier League. The decision comes after the Portuguese midfielder was suspended after criticizing the coaching staff's tactics following the 0-3 defeat against Bournemouth and the 4-1 defeat against Como in the group stage of the Champions League.
Fernandes did not appear in the last match, which generated tensions between the player and the coaching staff. Carrick and the captain met at the Carrington training center to resolve the situation privately. According to the coach, both parties are willing to leave the conflict behind and focus on the performance of the team, which is in a delicate situation after not having won in the last month and a half.
At Thursday's press conference, Carrick stated that "Bruno is fully committed to the team and there is no problem. We have moved on." He added that the player is “important for the group, he has been and will be,” and that “he has led this team for a long time and will continue to do so.” With the confirmation of his return, United seeks to regain the stability it has been missing this season.
The match against Chelsea will be crucial for the club, as a defeat could shorten Carrick's contract, signed five months ago for two years. The coach must demonstrate that the team can return to the path of victory to prevent its position from being threatened. With Fernandes returning to the helm, United hope that internal cohesion will improve and that performance on the field will reflect the will of the players and coaching staff.