Michael Carrick accused of trying to embarrass Bruno Fernandes as Man United boss insists horror defeat is not a farewell

Jamie Carragher believes Michael Carrick deliberately kept Bruno Fernandes benched for Manchester United in the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth. Club captain Fernandes did not appear in the starting XI for United at Old Trafford on Sunday following his shock rant about their tactics in the 4-1 defeat to Como earlier in the week. The 32-year-old sat on the bench for the entirety of the match, even when they found themselves two goals down by half time. Carrick was bold to leave Fernandes out of the team, and Carragher reckons he never intended to give the Portuguese an appearance despite attacking quality being scarce on Sunday. “I don’t think he was ever going to bring him on,” he told Sky Sports. “I think it was a deliberate decision to leave him on the bench, and almost try and embarrass him a little bit in front of the supporters, I don’t know. “He brought him off midweek, and I think what Bruno did after the game in Como was off the back of him getting brought off. “I think Michael Carrick never had any intention of bringing him on at all, that sub was never going to happen.” Before the match, the Liverpool legend said: “There’s probably two reasons why he’s done it. Number one, he’s sending a message to the rest of the dressing room, ‘You don’t take on me as the manager’. “Or, he thinks, ‘I haven’t got long left, so I’m going to give him one back for what he did to me midweek’, basically, show he’s got a bit of strength, a bit of power. “I think most people in the country will be quite pleased with Michael Carrick for putting him on the bench.” Carrick confirmed after the game that Fernandes was ‘fit and available’. Carrick shuts down United farewell talk The biggest talking point from the defeat is not United’s display, with talkSPORT’s Alex Crook giving every player a 0/10 , but the future of head coach Carrick . United fans showed their support for the ex-midfielder at full-time as he walked down the tunnel, and then booed the players as they went on the same route. There is a sense that they feel as though Carrick has been dealt a bad hand at the club, with many chants being aimed at technical director Jason Wilcox and the owners, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe. However, he has dismissed any speculation that he has waved bye to the fans for the final time in his role. “What is your feeling about your situation at this moment? It felt like a farewell from you, not a farewell from the club,” Carrick was asked by Sky Sports on his post-match applause. “It wasn’t from me,” he insisted in his response. “I had really mixed emotions, I’m feeling it for the players, for my group of players, I’m really feeling it for them because they’re going through a tough spell. “Some of it we can help ourselves, some of it the situation unravels. The boys are feeling at the moment. “Mixed emotions for the supporters to respond in that way, and to have that connection with the supporters in the moment that we’re in, is really mixed emotions. “A little bit of time to digest that, really, but I certainly appreciate their support. “But the situation is where we’re at, we haven’t had results and we haven’t had performances that have been good enough.” However, didn’t rule out him being out the door at Old Trafford, as he said later on Sunday: “I take the responsibility, of course. “I accept the responsibility. I respect the position I am in. The responsibility is mine. What else can I say right now? “I totally understand the situation. I am not expecting anything in particular, to be honest. “I am carrying on as normal. I love this place. I always do what I feel is best for this football club. Whatever decision is made on anything really, that’s kind of it. I am not expecting anything.” Eddie Howe is understood to be the preferred option for Wilcox if United dismiss Carrick, and Julian Nagelsmann has been sounded out . Antonio Conte would be open to taking the job , although he stressed he is not in any advanced negotiations with clubs .