Fernandes critical of media 'lies' about Carrick relationship

What the report says

Bruno Fernandes has pushed back against reports about his relationship with Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick, saying there have been “a lot of lies” in recent media coverage. According to Nile Post’s report, he spoke after United’s 3-2 comeback win over Roma on Tuesday, his first public comments since being dropped to the bench after criticising Carrick’s tactics following a 4-1 defeat at Como.

Fernandes said speculation had built up around whether he had fallen out with the manager, but insisted any issues had already been addressed. He also said Carrick’s decision to leave him out was fair, linking the move to his performances rather than any punishment. The article notes that Fernandes then returned to the side for a Premier League defeat by Chelsea before scoring a penalty against Roma to help trigger United’s recovery from two goals down.

The result ended a nine-match winless run and eased some pressure on Carrick, who has been under scrutiny after a difficult start to the season. United are reported to be 17th in the Premier League with one win from their opening nine games, despite Carrick’s strong run last season that earned him a new contract. Fernandes and teammates said the victory was important for the squad and the club, while some pundits urged the team to move past off-field talk and focus on results.