Michael Carrick’s choice to leave Bruno Fernandes on the bench ended in a damaging afternoon for Manchester United, who were beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth and produced their bluntest performance of the season.

The absence of Fernandes only sharpened the sense that United had lost whatever edge they were hoping to find. Bournemouth, by contrast, looked organised and cohesive throughout, while United again failed to make sustained use of possession or turn pressure into meaningful chances. It was another reminder of how far the side currently is from the level required, and the result leaves Carrick under renewed scrutiny.

Fernandes had already endured a difficult run before this match. His only Premier League goal contributions this season came in the 5-2 win over Ipswich Town, and United have now gone two months and six top-flight games without another league victory. Carrick’s decision to remove his most productive creator, especially with Marcus Rashford and Benjamin Šeško unavailable, was always likely to be tested. In the end, it was overwhelmed by a performance full of errors and short on conviction.

United did have more of the ball, but the numbers told their own story. Bournemouth generated the better chances, repeatedly punishing mistakes and leaving United with no answer. The team’s shortcomings were reflected in the individual displays, with only a few players offering even brief signs of resistance.

Senne Lammens was beaten three times, while Harry Maguire drew rare praise simply for carrying the ball forward. Carlos Baleba showed some energy, and Mason Mount remained ineffective despite changing positions during the match. The substitutes brought little improvement, as United’s evening drifted away without any meaningful response.

For Carrick, the wider problem is plain. Taking Fernandes out of the side was meant to send a message, but the result only underlined how dependent this team remains on what he provides.

Michael Carrick has made his point in measured fashion after Bruno Fernandes criticised his instructions in midweek, with the Manchester United club captain omitted from the matchday roster. The decision followed Fernandes’ public frustration after Wednesday’s Champions League defeat to Como, where he questioned the team’s approach without the ball.

“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little bit of space in behind,” the midfielder scoffed. “I think sometimes we have to be more brave under pressure and trying to take a risk of getting that press very high and making them uncomfortable.”

Carrick did not engage in a direct row when the comments were raised with him on the shores of Lake Como, but he did leave the door open to firm action. “I’ll always do what’s best for the football club,” he warned.

Even so, Fernandes’ exclusion is not without footballing justification. The reigning Premier League Player of the Season has suffered a sharp decline in output after a record-breaking campaign in which he surpassed the single-season assist mark of 20, previously shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

This season, Fernandes has created only one goal for his teammates. The drop-off is visible across the underlying numbers too. He has moved from creating four chances per game to 2.3, while his expected assists figures have also fallen and the quality of the chances he is producing has dipped.

In 2025-26, Fernandes created one Opta-defined ‘big chance’ every 93 minutes. Across the opening 10 and a half hours of top-flight soccer this term, he has managed just one such chance.

Stats via FotMob show a clear fall in his attacking volume, with assists down from 0.62 to 0.14 per 90, expected assists from 0.36 to 0.21, chances created from 3.99 to 2.29, big chances created from 0.97 to 0.14, and line-breaking passes from 16.8 to 14.1.

Fernandes has also scored in only two Manchester United matches this season, netting a hat trick against newly promoted Ipswich Town before adding the second goal in a 4-0 win over Azerbaijan side Sabah FK.

Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has insisted the dressing room remains fully behind Michael Carrick, even as the club continues to battle a poor run of results and rising frustration.

Lammens acknowledged the mood after difficult games can be raw, but said emotions should not be mistaken for division. Speaking to Sky Sports this week, he explained that players can say things in the heat of the moment that do not reflect the wider reality inside the camp.

“I think it’s easy to see maybe after a game when players are very frustrated—and I get it, I’m very frustrated as well because we all really want to do better and we all want to win—and then we might say sometimes things we don’t really mean or fully explain what we mean,” the goalkeeper told Sky Sports this week.

He added that the squad is pulling in the same direction and that the staff and the front office are part of that shared commitment.

“Of course, the people at home can’t see that, so we need to also try to look like that when we are on the pitch in the weekend, but I can assure you that we’re doing everything we can and we’re all together behind the coach, as a staff, players, front office.

Carrick has also maintained public confidence in his players after recent outbursts from Martínez and Fernandes and a string of underwhelming displays. Before Sunday’s meeting with Bournemouth, he made clear that his faith has not wavered.

“I definitely trust them, yeah, 100% I trust them,” Carrick told assembled media before Sunday’s seismic meeting with Bournemouth. “It wasn’t a very good night at all [in Como] for so many reasons. We all know that. I think that’s pretty obvious. I definitely trust them.”

He also dismissed suggestions that the team cannot be managed and promised a response in the league.

“We’ll be a different team on Sunday,” he promised, “we have to be a different team on Sunday.”

United’s form under Carrick has fallen well short of last season’s finish, when they had the best record over the final 17 Premier League games after he took charge. This term, however, they have only managed to beat newly promoted Ipswich Town in the top flight.

Lammens said the contrast is not simply about performance levels. In his view, the side had more rhythm last season, even if some matches this campaign have looked technically sharper.

“As a counter team a bit more last season we did really well, but you also know—I think everybody knew—that we had to improve as well from that, that teams were going to change the way they played against us,” Lammens outlined.

United have tried to develop by pressing higher, but that shift has not produced consistent control. At times, it has even left them stretched and exposed between the lines, a problem that continues to undermine the team’s structure.