Carrick will be in charge for 'pivotal' Bournemouth game despite growing concerns

Michael Carrick will be in charge of Manchester United against Bournemouth on Sunday, but there is growing concern among club bosses about the team's poor run of form.

There is a feeling both inside and outside Old Trafford that Sunday's Premier League match could be pivotal in determining Carrick's future.

No decision has been taken about plans beyond Sunday as things stand following Tuesday's 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League.

Bruno Fernandes will not be stripped of the captaincy in light of his criticism of the United coaching staff and is unlikely to face any punishment for his comments after the crushing defeat in Italy.

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There is a feeling within the Carrington training ground that the performance and result in the Champions League on Wednesday night was unacceptable - as Carrick himself said after the match.

There is sympathy for Carrick when it comes to the injury problems he is dealing with, and many United supporters agreed with Lisandro Martinez's outspoken views of last week, when he said the squad is not strong enough to compete at the top level. Martinez levelled the criticism at the United hierarchy, not the head coach.

But it is clear United's bosses feel that, despite those factors, the squad is stronger than it was last season when Carrick secured a third-placed Premier League finish, and so far this season the team has woefully underperformed.

United's directors assessed and interviewed a host of other candidates in January as part of their due diligence before appointing Carrick, and while it is thought there has been no formal contact with those candidates recently, such discussions cannot be ruled out in the coming days.

Fernandes unlikely to be punished for criticism of staff

Fernandes will not be stripped of the Manchester United captaincy and is unlikely to be disciplined by the club following his criticism of the coaching staff and the tactics in the 4-1 defeat to Como.

Sky Sports News has been told that, while there is disappointment within the club with what last season's PFA Player of the Year said post-match, the wider feeling is that he was voicing an understandable frustration and anger at the manner of the defeat.

A string of ex-professionals have lined up to criticise Fernandes, with Jamie Carragher calling him "an absolute disgrace".

In his own post-match news conference, head coach Carrick responded to his captain's comments by saying: "If you don't run back, you ain't going to win."

Carra calls Fernandes comments 'a disgrace'

Jamie Carragher has criticised Fernandes for questioning Man Utd's tactics following their defeat to Como, but believes that it could be the end of the line for Carrick.

Fernandes questioned the decision to not press Como man-to-man post-match, while Carrick responded in his press conference by saying "if you don't run back, you ain't going to win".

"We said Lisandro Martinez was bang out of order for calling out the hierarchy," Carragher said on CBS Sports.

"For Bruno Fernandes to do that, it is a disgrace. Last season he was Player of the Year. That was due to Michael Carrick coming in as manager. He wouldn't have got that award without Carrick. He put him back in his right position.

"His attitude and the way he goes about things, it is not right at all. He has reacted like that because he was brought off and he has been embarrassed tonight by the manager.

"When he talks about pressing, whether it is man-to-man or zonal, for years, Bruno Fernandes has meant Man Utd can't press.

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

"He is not playing in a successful era at Manchester United but years ago there was a captain called Bryan Robson, one of the greatest players to ever play for Man Utd.

"He didn't play for teams that won leagues or European cups every year. He is still seen as one of the greatest players to play for the club. He never threw a manager or the players under the bus. He kept fighting for Man Utd.

"Watching him [Bruno] play every week, throwing his arms up at players constantly, it is a disgrace that he has called out the manager considering how he has performed this season on the pitch. Awful attitude and not what a Manchester United captain should be.

"How many managers has he had? Every single manager at Man Utd has not had an identity?

"[Como boss] Cesc Fabregas, I think he is the best young thing in managerial terms, but Man Utd is rotten from top to bottom. Everything about the club.

"This can't go on for a club of this stature. I am glad Michael Carrick came out and said that about Bruno Fernandes. That they don't run, because they don't run.

"I am delighted he brought him off and delighted he had a pop back at him."