After the rebellion and the punishment: Carrick announces his decisive decision regarding the Manchester United captaincy
Behind the scenes of the reconciliation before the Chelsea clash
Michael Carrick has ended the controversy over the Old Trafford captaincy, confirming categorically that Bruno Fernandes will keep the armband despite the recent crisis between the two men.
The Manchester United manager spoke out ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Chelsea, insisting his captain is "fully committed" to the club and that there are no problems.
From public criticism to the bench
It all started when Fernandes slammed United's tactics in public after the humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League. Carrick hit back fast, dropping the Portuguese from the squad that lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth last Sunday.
Carrick addressed his controversial call in comments carried by "Reuters": "It was a decision based on what we saw fit for the match, that's all there is to it."
He went further still: "Bruno is fully committed to this club, and there are no problems whatsoever. We move forward and make decisions one after another and focus on Saturday's match. He has captained the team brilliantly over many matches and years, and he will continue to do so." The row, it seems, was settled after frank talks between the pair.
Carrick under the guillotine
These are among the darkest days in United's history. The Bournemouth defeat stretched their winless run to eight matches in all competitions and dropped them to 16th in the table, just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Club chiefs held emergency talks last Monday amid speculation about Carrick's future, yet he has clung on to his job.
The manager met the rumours head on: "I fully understand the nature of the position. I understand the job and the responsibilities and what comes with it, so I don't need any reassurances from anyone."
Gary Neville sees it differently. The club legend and former captain questioned the decision to keep Carrick, telling the "Stick to Football" podcast: "I think keeping him is a result of a lack of planning and few options. Sometimes a manager needs to be sacked for his own good. I needed to be sacked from Valencia, I was happy to end my suffering."
Carrick took over from Ruben Amorim last January and gave the fans something to believe in, steering the team to third place last season. He hasn't won a league game since beating newly promoted Ipswich Town on 30 August.
