Fernandes says Man Utd players do not need to save Carrick’s job

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said the players did not need to “save anyone’s job” after coming from two goals down to beat Roma 3-2 in the Champions League, ending a nine-game winless run and easing pressure on manager Michael Carrick.

Fernandes scored a penalty in the 58th minute to begin United’s second-half comeback. Asked by Amazon Prime whether the result would save Carrick’s job, he replied: “We don’t need to save anyone’s job.”

“The club needed that win, the players needed that win,” Fernandes said. “We have been working so hard to get out of this situation all together.”

It was his first media appearance since being dropped to the bench after publicly criticising Carrick’s tactics following United’s 4-1 defeat by Como. Fernandes returned to the starting side for the Premier League loss to Chelsea.

He said there had been “a lot of lies” in media speculation about his relationship with Carrick, adding that the pair had cleared the air. Fernandes said the manager then left him out because he was not performing, and that if the decision was intended as punishment for his comments, “it was right”.

The captain said the episode had not changed his belief in Carrick, the coaching staff or the players, or his aim to win every match. (Fernandes had previously questioned Carrick’s tactics after the Como defeat.)