Fernandes hit out at Carrick for his tactis after the loss vs Como - Source: Getty
Fernandes hit out at Carrick for his tactis after the loss vs Como - Source: Getty
Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has accused Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes of betraying Michael Carrick. The reaction from Leboeuf came after the Portuguese midfielder publicly criticised Carrick for his tactics in the 4-1 loss against Como in the Champions League.
Fernandes questioned why Manchester United were not deployed to press high in the game, with the Red Devils' captain feeling the team was not set up to be 'brave' against Como.
After the post-match interview went viral, Leboeuf claimed that Fernandes has betrayed Carrick, his teammates and the club with the comments. The Frenchman is of the opinion that even if Carrick got his tactics wrong, the players' shortcomings may have been the reason behind the manager not trusting them to press high.
Leboeuf told ESPN:
"We witnessed a betrayal. A betrayal towards the coach, towards the fans and towards the club from the players. We have to blame the players. We have to make them guilty for what we see.
"You can talk about the tactic, maybe it wasn't the best tactic. But maybe Michael Carrick knows too much about the players and what they're incapable of doing. It's why he was maybe a little bit too defensive ... Those players, they're letting him down."
The 1998 World Cup winner also highlighted how players don't run enough at Manchester United. He went on to label Fernandes as someone who is 'cheating, crying and complaining' most of the time. Leboeuf added:
"They don't run for him. They don't run for the club, they don't give 100%. And Bruno Fernandes ... That guy, what I see too much is cheating, crying, complaining. Yes, he's a great player but start running, stop talking!"
Fernandes, who set the record for most assists (21) in a Premier League season during the 2025/26 campaign, has not registered a goal contribution in the last seven games across competitions.
Manchester United must not sack Carrick, claims Ten Hag
Amid Manchester United's woeful run of form, Carrick is under serious pressure to turn things around. The Red Devils' coach apologised to the fans after the 4-1 loss against Como, admitting he is ready to take full responsibility for the terrible performance.
Just days before the loss against Como, former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag offered his opinion on the club sacking Carrick. The Dutchman urged the club not to part ways with the manager, insisting they must stick with the process instead of acting on fan sentiment.
Ten Hag told The Athletic:
“It is not the solution to dismiss him. 100 per cent not. Fans will demand this if results don’t improve — it is coming out from the stomach, from the emotion. You have to make rational decisions.
"He showed good coaching abilities at Middlesbrough and last season. So let him do his process. I think he has a good staff.”
Manchester United have won just two of their 11 games in all competitions this season. The Premier League giants next face Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday.