The uncomfortable reason why Bruno Fernandes had to remain Man United captain

Carrick kept Fernandes as captain despite dropping him for Bournemouth, citing a lack of alternative leaders in a poorly constructed squad.

Michael Carrick has decided to retain Bruno Fernandes as Manchester United captain despite dropping him for the defeat to Bournemouth. The manager held talks with Fernandes at Carrington this week and confirmed there is "no decision to be made" on the captaincy, with the Portuguese midfielder returning to the squad for Saturday's trip to Chelsea.

Carrick's choice reflects the limited leadership options available at United. When Fernandes was rested, Harry Maguire wore the armband against Bournemouth, but his form has been inconsistent. Other potential candidates face their own issues: Lisandro Martinez recently criticised sporting director Jason Wilcox in a post-match interview; Tom Heaton is the third-choice goalkeeper; Diogo Dalot's performances have been undistinguished; and Youri Tielemans, despite captaining Belgium, lacks the mobility to lead by example. Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford, as longer-serving players, are sidelined.

The analysis suggests Carrick's decision to keep Fernandes reflects the extent to which United's squad has been poorly constructed, leaving few genuine alternatives. Fernandes remains United's likeliest match-winner, and retaining the captaincy may be crucial to Carrick's own job security as the club seeks to end an eight-game winless run.