Fernandes reaffirms Carrick support after United end nine-game winless run

Bruno Fernandes has reaffirmed his support for Michael Carrick after Manchester United recovered from two goals down to beat Roma 3-2 in the Champions League. Speaking to Amazon Prime after the match, the United captain said the victory was needed by the club and its players, rather than presenting it as an effort to protect the manager's position.

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According to BBC Sport, Fernandes was addressing the media for the first time since he was dropped after criticising Carrick's tactics following a 4-1 defeat at Como. He said his belief in the manager, coaching staff and teammates had not changed. He also challenged accounts of his relationship with Carrick and said the decision to leave him out had been based on his performances.

Fernandes acknowledged the manager's authority to select the team and said that, had his omission been a response to his public comments, Carrick would have been entitled to act. He was an unused substitute in the subsequent 3-0 loss to Bournemouth before returning to the starting lineup for the Premier League defeat by Chelsea.

Against Roma, Fernandes converted a penalty in the 58th minute to begin United's recovery from a 2-0 deficit. The eventual 3-2 victory ended a sequence of nine matches without a win. It was United's second victory in four Champions League fixtures this season and moved them to 17th in the competition's league-phase standings, the BBC reported.

The result came with United also sitting 17th in the Premier League, having won only once in their opening nine games. Carrick had received a two-year contract after winning 12 of his 17 matches in charge last season and securing a return to the Champions League following a two-year absence. Those earlier results contrast with the difficult start to the current domestic campaign.

Youri Tielemans also expressed support for Carrick in his post-match interview with Amazon Prime, saying the players could keep backing him and competing for the club. Kobbie Mainoo described the end of the winless run as a relief and voiced hope that United could build on the result. Neither player's comments established any decision about the manager's future.