Bruno Fernandes should be grateful to Michael Carrick for restoring him to his best position at Manchester United, according to former Red Devils winger Ashley Young.
Young believes former manager Ruben Amorim made a tactical mistake by deploying Fernandes in a deeper midfield role, limiting the Portuguese captain’s ability to influence games in the final third.
Under Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, Fernandes was frequently used as a deep-lying playmaker, with greater responsibility for building attacks and helping United progress up the pitch.
Carrick, however, moved the midfielder into the No. 10 position, allowing him to operate closer to the opposition’s goal and use his creativity to create scoring opportunities.
The tactical adjustment initially produced impressive results. The Premier League highlighted Fernandes’ five goal contributions in Carrick’s first five matches, including four assists and a goal against Tottenham.
Despite those improvements, Fernandes’ relationship with Carrick has recently come under scrutiny following his public criticism of the manager’s tactics after United’s 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.
According to Sportbible, Young argued that Fernandes needed to appreciate Carrick’s decision to return him to a more advanced role, while questioning the captain’s leadership and defensive work rate.
The debate highlights the importance of tactical positioning in getting the best out of key players. While Fernandes’ creativity remains a major asset, questions remain over whether he can consistently combine his attacking influence with the work rate and leadership expected of a Manchester United captain.