'Not what a captain should be' - the debate around Fernandes' outburst

Not according to former Liverpool vice-captain Jamie Carragher, working as a summariser, on CBS Sports.

"He's reacted like that because he's been embarrassed by the manager [who] brought him off," said the ex-England defender.

"And when he talks about pressing, whether it's man-to-man or zonal, for years, Bruno Fernandes has meant Manchester United can't press because he does things for the crowd.

"He runs all over the place like a kid in the schoolyard for the supporters. They all think he's working hard. He's not. He's killing the rest of the team doing it."

He added: "Watching him throw his arms up every week in a game is an absolute disgrace [and] calling the manager out considering how he's performed this season on the pitch.

"[It's an] awful attitude and not what a Manchester United captain should be."

Fernandes' comments come a week after defender Lisandro Martinez made similar headlines following United's previous Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid.

The Argentine said he expected more investment in the squad and "more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]". He later apologised.

And while Martinez's outburst sparked debate, Fernandes' comments could have even larger repercussions.

Carrick, who was under huge pressure already following a terrible start to the season, said in reply: "There's a little bit of whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don't run, and you don't run forward, and you don't run back, you aren't going to win."

United have not won in their past seven games since beating Champions League minnows Sabah. They have just one win in their seven Premier League games this season.

Not many people have defended Fernandes' public questioning of the tactics.

But some do understand his frustrations.

Former Leicester and Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel, whose dad Peter won the Champions League, five Premier League titles and three FA Cups as a United player, said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Given last week and what's happened, he probably should not be saying these things because it's only going to add to the problems.

"With experience you learn that you need to keep these things in-house. It's a problem, with everything that happened during the week.

"Michael Carrick didn't need this, the club didn't need this. It's exposing all of the issues that are at Manchester United.

"It's very plain to see that there are loads of issues but you need to be fixing them, you need to be having meetings within the club, which I'm sure that they are, but it's obviously not resolved. It's just translating on to the pitch."

The issue that most pundits have is not that Fernandes has these opinions - but that he has let the world know them.

Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock, speaking on BBC Match of the Day, said: "I think there will be ex-players now from Manchester United saying, 'why are you letting this get out, this should be a collective in the changing room where we come together'.

"Whether you like the manager or not, you've got to come together and say 'OK how do we correct this?'

"Senior players go to the manager and say 'listen we didn't agree with the tactics, we didn't think we got it right, how do we go about this, how do we move forward', because you start airing it in public and it doesn't end well for anyone."

Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole on TNT Sports called it "sacrilege".

"I've played for managers where I don't agree with the tactics but you might say that to your mate or to your wife. You don't come out as captain of the club and question the manager," he said.

Andy Mitten, editor of United We Stand, told BBC 5 Live Breakfast that Fernandes has "thrown his coach under the bus".

"It's a terrible look," he continued.

"And Manchester United fans are divided as to whether he should or should not do that. Last week, Martinez was also critical. A lot of Manchester United fans agreed with him.

"Again, there's mitigation, he wants a new contract. That's because he's not been playing enough, because he's been injured. And injuries are a real problem for Manchester United. There's no recognised centre-forward. So it is a really difficult time for United."

Former United midfielder Carrick, who took over in January initially as caretaker manager, seemed to blank his players at full-time before heading over to the United fans.

"I don't blame him for ignoring the players," said Mitten.

"He went to the fans and he held his hands up and he said, 'I'm sorry'.

"You can tell he's hurting. He's a Manchester United fan himself. He was a season ticket holder only a year ago before he took the job. I think he's trying his best, but it's just not working at the moment. Manchester United are really, really struggling."

Fernandes has been Manchester United's one consistent outstanding player since a £47m move from Sporting in January 2020, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the manager.

He has scored 111 goals and made 106 assists in 338 games for the club in all competitions.

Former manager Erik ten Hag made him the skipper in the summer of 2023 after taking the armband off Harry Maguire, whose place in the team was far from certain.

But this is not the first time his body language, attitude and behaviour as captain has been criticised.

He was called a "disgrace" and "embarrassing" by United legends Gary Neville and Roy Keane after the 7-0 loss to Liverpool in 2023, while Chris Sutton said he should never captain the club again.

However, last season Fernandes was named the Premier League's player of the year after a record 21 assists in a season.

"That award was on the back of Michael Carrick becoming the manager," said Carragher.

"He wouldn't have got that award without Michael Carrick, because Michael Carrick put him back in his rightful position and he then went on to have a fantastic season because he's a talented footballer.

"But in terms of attitude and the way he goes about things, it's not right at all."

Fernandes has made headlines with his comments before. In August 2025 he said the club needed to make more signings.

That December he was asked about the fact United had been willing to sell him to Al-Hilal and told Canal 11: "From the club I felt it was, 'If you go it's not so bad for us'. It hurts me a bit.

"More than hurting me, it makes me sad. I'm a player that no-one can criticise, I'm always available, I always give my best.

"I could have left in this transfer window, I would have earned much more money.

"I would have won many trophies this season, but I decided not to go, not only for family reasons but because I genuinely love the club."

But now the narrative might change entirely after his latest comments.

Many will be wondering whether he should even start in Sunday's game against Bournemouth.

Martinez did keep his place, after apologising, at Leeds last Sunday.

But as United fan Mitten says: ''There was mitigation with Martinez because he wants a new contract. Fernandes is captain."

There has been no word from the club about whether Fernandes' role as captain is in jeopardy after his outburst.