Carragher claims Man Utd players may prefer life without Bruno Fernandes

Jamie Carragher believes some Manchester United players may welcome the chance to play without Bruno Fernandes after Michael Carrick benched his captain against Bournemouth.

Fernandes was named among the substitutes for Sunday's Premier League clash at Old Trafford, days after publicly questioning United's tactics following their 4–1 Champions League defeat to Como.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher acknowledged the Portuguese midfielder's importance but questioned his reactions towards teammates during matches.

"He is Manchester United's best player, we can't get away from that," Carragher said.

The former Liverpool defender suggested Fernandes' visible frustration when teammates make mistakes could create unnecessary pressure.

"There will be a lot of people who don't actually like playing with Fernandes," Carragher claimed.

Carragher believes United's players could benefit from encouraging one another rather than displaying frustration during difficult moments.

His comments represent a personal assessment, not confirmation of dissatisfaction within the dressing room.

Fernandes won the 2025–26 PFA Players' Player of the Year award and remains one of United's most influential players.

Since Carrick took charge in January, the midfielder has registered 14 assists and created 96 chances.

Despite the timing of his omission, Carrick insisted the decision was based purely on footballing considerations.

Harry Maguire took the captain's armband, with Mason Mount and Youri Tielemans selected to provide creativity.

Gary Neville also questioned the atmosphere surrounding United following public criticism from Fernandes and Lisandro Martínez.

However, no dressing-room dispute involving Fernandes has been independently established.

Fernandes will look to regain his starting place as Carrick attempts to improve United's results following a seven-match winless run.