Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney believes Manchester United boss Michael Carrick invited Bruno Fernandes' recent tactical criticism by failing to drop Lisandro Martinez last week. The Old Trafford skipper publicly questioned his manager's approach following Wednesday's humbling 4-1 Champions League defeat away at Como.
Lenient management sparks captain outburst
Carrick has been accused of undermining his own authority in the Red Devils dressing room by letting Martinez go unpunished before Fernandes criticised his game plan in Italy. Following the midweek rout, the Portuguese midfielder claimed the team needed to be "more brave under pressure" and "take the risk of pressing high". However, his boss argued that a lack of running caused the defeat rather than tactics.
Pundit blasts weak disciplinary stance
Fernandes' public complaints arrived just days after Martinez called out technical director Jason Wilcox for failing to properly reinforce the squad during the summer transfer window. Although the Argentine centre-back subsequently apologised for those remarks, he avoided a suspension and started last Sunday's 1-1 draw against Leeds United at Elland Road.
Speaking on Premier League All Access, former Watford striker Deeney insisted that retaining the defender inadvertently emboldened the club captain to speak out of turn: "Last week when Martinez said what he said, you can't let him play. You've got to nip that in the bud and just be like, 'I get you apologising and all of that, but, you're out of the team this week.' And I know he probably looked around and went, 'I haven't got much here, I haven't got much in the way of help, we're at Elland Road.' You need to nip it in the bud.
"The second he didn't and Martinez played, he inadvertently allows for Bruno Fernandes to talk. Bruno Fernandes feeds it to the open season, 'I can say what I want.' But Bruno Fernandes, I've been saying this for three years, when he hasn't got the goals or assists, he's not a captain. We've had this discussion so many times, he's not a leader."
Boardroom anger fuels toxic mood
While the manager and his skipper must quickly resolve their differences to halt a dismal seven-game winless streak, supporters are increasingly directing their fury towards the Old Trafford hierarchy. Assessing the mood among the fanbase ahead of Sunday's return to domestic action, talkSPORT chief football correspondent Alex Crook warned that the stadium atmosphere could 'turn quite toxic' if results do not improve immediately: "I think there were a lot of angry Manchester United fans, both inside the stands and watching at home in midweek.
"They'll have seen what Bruno Fernandes has said. They'll feel for Michael Carrick. I think they do feel empathy for Michael Carrick. He's a club legend, someone who won the European Cup as a player. Someone who stepped in in their hour of need last season.
"They are very angry with those above Carrick, the likes of Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada. If this game starts to go against them, as you fear it will with Bournemouth picking up their first Premier League win last weekend, I think it could turn very badly, very quickly. Bournemouth have the capability to run all over Manchester United."
Resurgent Cherries test fragile harmony
United face a testing Premier League assignment on Sunday when they welcome Bournemouth to Old Trafford. The Cherries arrive in Manchester full of confidence after following up their 2-0 league win over Sunderland with a sensational 3-0 Europa League demolition of AC Milan. For Carrick and his players, avoiding an early setback will be crucial to prevent mounting frustration in the stands from escalating.