Simon Stone
BBC Sport Chief Football News Reporter at Old Trafford

When he was asked about Bruno Fernandes on Friday, Michael Carrick refused to say whether the Manchester United skipper would start today's game.

Instead, he said he would 'do what is best for Manchester United'.

Carrick spoke to Sir Alex Ferguson as normal this week. Ferguson was huge on managers having control.

If he had started Fernandes today, Carrick would have looked weak.

He has said just now it was a 'pure football decision'.

He has to stand or fall by that today.

Julien Laurens
French football journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think if the sanctions against Lisandro Martinez had been the right ones, I'm not sure Bruno would have said that after the Como game.

It's about boundaries and having to set limits for your own squad so things like that don't happen and now, for two senior players within the space of six days to go after the sporting director, your owners, your manager, your staff is just embarrassing. It's such a circus.

Leave him at home, he doesn't need to be on the bench - it's half of a sanction again. He's just going to be behind Carrick and I don't think he should be there full stop.

What do you think? Should Bruno Fernandes have been dropped? Or should he have had the chance to prove himself on the pitch?

Surely there has almost been a precedent set with the punishment of Lisandro Martinez one week prior - the Argentine had to make a formal apology and pay a fine for comments he made speaking out against the club.

Yet Fernandes is dropped to the bench today. Michael Carrick says it's for "pure football" reasons. Make of that what you will.

What can not be ignored is that ultimately Manchester United need Fernandes. Are they more likely to get results with him in the team?

Let us know your thoughts in all the usual ways!

Manchester United

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick speaking to Sky Sports:

"When you have options it's always a difficult decision. We have to make the right one for today and the team to get that performance we want."

Has Bruno Fernandes been dropped on football reasons or other? "Pure football."

On Lisandro Martinez on the bench: "Not quite [fit enough] - touch and go and it wasn't worth the risk. Aiden [Heaven] has been ill at the start of the week and played welk when he's played for us. I'm happy with the team, strong options on the bench. We need a good performance today.

"Any performance at any level at this club or anywhere you need to play with all that [resilience, determination] to get a result. Bournemouth are a good team and we'll need to be at our best today.

"It's the next game for us. We have prepared like we would for ay other game. The run we have been on we want to flip things. We want to win a football match and today is a good day to try and for that."

Clinton Morrison
Former Crystal Palace striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

It's a big call but I think it's the right call. A lot of people have raised eyebrows but I do think it's the right call. You can't call out the manager like that tactically.

When I was a player, I had a big mouth myself, but one thing I'd do was I'd go toe-to-toe and say it to the manager, or in the changing room or in front of people. I wouldn't go out and say it in the media.

But if they don't get a result and you've dropped your best player and your captain, it will fall back on Michael Carrick.

No-one is bigger than the football club.

Hull City XI: Tzolakis, Coyle, Giles, Ajayi, McBurnie, Belloumi, Egan, Stroud, Herrington, Slater, Iroegbunam.

Subs: Phillips, Morita, Thomas, Gelhardt, McNair, Norton-Cuffy, Crooks, Vaz, Cho.

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford XI: Kelleher, Hickey, Van den Berg, Schade, Jensen, Thiago, Ouattara, Sangare, Ajer, Lewis-Potter, Kayode.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Wilson, Anthony, Collins, Damsgaard, Diouf, Nunes, Schuster, Fredrick.

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Chief Football News Reporter at Old Trafford

It is a big call by Michael Carrick but I would argue also a necessary one.

No matter what his job status is, he has to be in control. Bruno Fernandes challenged his authority and he needed to be decisive.

In addition, Fernandes has not been playing well.

Obviously it is one of those calls that could go badly wrong, but in Carrick's position, I don't think he has anything to lose.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport football reporter at Selhurst Park

Jean-Philippe Mateta returns for Crystal Palace - one of three changes from the side that was thrashed 5-0 by Brighton last time out on the Premier League stage.

Chris Richards makes his 100th Premier League appearance in this match.

Crystal Palace starting XI: Benitez, Richards, Disasi, Canvot, Khalaili, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell, McNeil, Pino, Mateta.

Subs: Matthews, Lerma, Nketiah, Hughes, Osorio, Doucoure, Guessand, Mingueza, Chilwell.

Dan Burn is back to captain Newcastle after his late cameo up front from the substitutes bench against Aston Villa last week.

Burn, who played for England at the World Cup in the summer, is making his first Premier League start of the season after injury.

There are five changes in total. Fabian Schar also makes his first league start of the season. Jacob Murphy, Amar Dedic and forward William Osula also start.

Newcastle United starting XI: Hornicek, Dedic, Schar, Burn, Hall, Gonzalez, Joelinton, Murphy, Willock, Barnes, Osula.

Subs: Pope, Botman, Bamba, Wissa, Thiaw, Steur, Toure, Elanga, Ramsey.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Barcola, Wirtz, Gakpo, Isak.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Tsimikas, Nyoni, Koumas, Ngumoha, McConnell.

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Kadioglu, Vuskovic, Dunk, Boscagli, Gross, Chema Andres, Gomez, Ayari, De Cuyper, Kostoulas.

Subs: Steele, Hadjam, Hinshelwood, Rutter, David, Osman, Costinha, O'Riley, Yalcouye.

Image source, Getty Images

Confirmation that Michael Carrick has dropped Bruno Fernandes to the bench.

Lisandro Martinez is on the bench, too, after picking up a knock last weekend and missing out on the Champions League game.

Amad and Carlos Baleba also come in with Matthijs de Ligt and Matheus Cunha also on the bench along with Noussair Mazraoui.

Harry Maguire will captain the side in what looks like a back three/five alongside Leny Yoro and Aiden Heaven.

Man Utd XI: Lammens, Maguire, Yoro, Dalot, Santos, Mount, Amad, Baleba, Heaven, Tielemans, Mbeumo

Subs: Darlow, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martínez, Fernandes, Cunha, Zirkzee, Lacey, Fletcher.

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth make four changes to that side that incredibly beat AC Milan 3-0 in Europe on Thursday.

Lewis Cook, Adam Smith and Rayan come in for Ryan Christie, Ben Gannon-Doak and Bafode Diakite, who are all on the bench.

Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is also back in position instead of second-choice Michele Di Gregorio.

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Truffert, Cook, Hill, Evanilson, Adams, Silva, Smith, Tavernier, Kluivert, Rayan

Subs: Di Gregorio, Soler, Brooks, Christie, Gannon-Doak, Diakite, Adli, Kroupi, Rodriguez.

Image source, Getty Images

Nedum Onuoha
Former Man City defender on BBC 5 Live

Looking at how Man Utd didn't do anything on Wednesday [against Como] in terms of defensive structure, there is room there to say their set up is wrong. I am speaking for Bruno Fernandes here, he felt that it wasn't the right plan in the moment.

He shouldn't have said it but he was right to think it. He has said what he has said but I don't think it was an attack on the manager.

Since joining the club in 2020, Bruno Fernandes been dropped to the bench just five times in the Premier League.

The last time was May 2025 against Brentford while he was also on the bench in April 2025 against Wolves - but those matches were between Europa League semi-finals.

Of course, we are assuming he is on the bench today. We'll find out very shortly...

The hosts have just arrived at Old Trafford and Bruno Fernandes was all wrapped up in his big Manchester United puffer coat with his hood up as he trudged off the bus and into the stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

Andy Reid
Former Nottingham Forest midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think there's been times when we've all played and not been happy but there's also times when the manage isn't happy with players and I think there's a way to go about it.

I'm not saying be fluffy, I'm not saying nobody can get after anybody or we can't have those discussions but not in public, particularly after what happened with Martinez.

And I thought what Fernandes was saying was complete and utter rubbish anyway - he wants to go and do a man-to-man press against Como or Atletico Madrid who all run more than Manchester United physically.

Interesting that Lisandro Martinez got away with an apology and a fine but started Manchester United's next match against Leeds yet captain Bruno Fernandes has been dropped following his comments.

Will United miss Fernandes today? He has so often been the man to pull them out of a scrape.

This season he has not been quite so prolific. He scored three goals and set up another against Ipswich in their second game of the campaign but has not registered any other goals or assists since.

Following Manchester United's 4-1 defeat by Como in midweek, Bruno Fernandes told TNT Sports:

"It's a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give space to these teams they get confidence."

Asked directly whether Carrick got his tactics wrong, Fernandes added: "That's on the manager and staff to see, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable."

Told of Fernandes' comments in his post-match press conference, Carrick offered a curt response: "There's a little bit of whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don't run, and you don't run forward, and you don't run back, you aren't going to win."

The question everyone was asking today was whether Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes would start against Bournemouth.

Fernandes has started all seven of United's Premier League games this season and all three of their Champions League fixtures - although he was substituted off on 67 minutes against Como in midweek.

But, his outburst following United's 4-1 defeat by Como in the Champions League, where he turned on manager Michael Carrick, has led to wide debate around whether he will start or even be involved this afternoon.

It follows a pattern of senior players speaking out against the club after Lisandro Martinez also criticised the club in a post-match interview. The defender was not dropped in the following game but made a formal apology to the club and had to pay a fine.

So, let's start with what Fernandes actually said...

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been dropped from the starting XI for their match against Bournemouth at Old Trafford.

Let's get into this properly and we'll have full team news to come.

Right then, only one place to start today...

Image source, Getty Images