Bruno Fernandes to stay captain as Wayne Rooney calls Manchester United players babies

Bruno Fernandes will remain Manchester United captain and will not be disciplined for his post-match criticism of Michael Carrick after the 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como.

The United skipper criticised Carrick's tactics for the game, then said it was up to the United head coach and his backroom team, not the players, to spot any issues and change them.

It was seen by many externally as a challenge to Carrick's authority, just eight days after United defender Lisandro Martinez criticised director of football Jason Wilcox and the club's summer recruitment.

Inside Old Trafford, there is sympathy for Fernandes for the position he found himself in.

The Portugal midfielder did 10 post-match interviews in Como, despite being replaced by Joshua Zirkzee midway through the second half.

While there is disappointment at some of his comments, it is acknowledged that Fernandes' annoyance was understandable given the manner of the loss, which was one of the worst in United's European history.

It remains to be seen whether Fernandes will be picked for Sunday's Premier League encounter with Bournemouth at Old Trafford. Carrick will be asked about the situation when he holds his pre-game news conference at 13:30 BST on Friday.

• Players 'like babies' - Rooney

Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Wayne Rooney (right) with former Manchester United teammate Michael Carrick at the club's Carrington training ground

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said he was in "shock" and "disbelief" at the performance against Como, and he is as "worried as I've been for a long time" about the situation at Old Trafford.

And, while he understands the questioning of Carrick, a close personal friend of the former England and United skipper, Rooney also called the players "selfish" and said "they're like babies" in the wake of the controversial comments from both Martinez and Fernandes.

"When Martinez came out, I said this is an absolute nightmare because it will rip the dressing room apart," Rooney told the United Stand podcast. "That was the start. We've seen it now with Bruno, and you're going to see it with more players because they don't want to take responsibility.

"You can say whether Bruno was right or wrong in what he said, but you have to take responsibility on the pitch. You have to take responsibility as a group of players.

"These players, they're selfish. They don't care about their teammates, don't care about the manager, the staff or the fans; they care about themselves. If they're not getting what's right for them, they're like babies and just throw their toys out of the pram and go and deflect the blame onto anyone else but themselves."

Fernandes' form has dipped markedly from last season, when he was named PFA and FWA Player of the Year and broke the Premier League record for assists in a single season.

"He [Fernandes] is putting pressure on someone else because he doesn't want to face it," added Rooney.

"If he looks at himself in the mirror, if Martinez and all of them looked at themselves in the mirror, they'll find what's looking back at them is them, and that's not good enough. They need to show more."

Rooney has also called on the Manchester United board to provide clarity on the future of Carrick, who he believes needs to "come out fighting".

Carrick will be in charge for Sunday's visit of Bournemouth despite intense speculation he is on the brink of dismissal following United's worst run of form since 2015-16.

"I was in that situation [at Plymouth and Birmingham City], and I can only say now, looking back and reflecting, if I was in Michael Carrick's position now, I'd come out fighting," said Rooney.

"There's no more Mr Nice Guy. There are certain things you've got to do to protect them players, but you have to come out fighting for yourself because those players will drag you down and it's going to be you who's going to lose your job over it."