Carrick Keeps His Job, and Fernandes Keeps the Armband

Michael Carrick will remain Manchester United's manager for Saturday's trip to Chelsea, and Bruno Fernandes will stay as captain. The decision comes after a difficult week that started with a Bournemouth defeat on Sunday.

Fernandes was left out of the team for that match. Before it, he had made critical comments about Carrick, who is head coach. The two men have since held clear-the-air talks, a private meeting to settle a disagreement.

Gary Neville, the former United defender who now works as a television pundit, said Carrick had "no option" but to drop Fernandes after a "direct attack" on the manager. Neville's view was one of many voices in the debate that followed, and it was a sharp one.

Carrick, who is 45, had been widely expected to be sacked after the Bournemouth loss, according to BBC Sport. Instead, he will take charge of the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's home ground in west London.

Carrick has played down the rift. Asked about Fernandes, he said there are "no issues" between them. He also said the midfielder is fully committed to the club. Asked whether Fernandes still holds the captain's armband, the role of leading the team on the pitch and speaking for it, Carrick made clear that he does.

Carrick also said he knows what United need to improve before the trip to Stamford Bridge. Premier League form has been the central issue for the club this autumn, and a win away to Chelsea would ease some of the pressure on him.

For supporters, the week has been a reminder of how quickly a squad can turn on itself. A manager who drops his captain, then keeps him in the role, is making a clear point about both of them. The next test comes on Saturday, when Carrick and his players take the field at Stamford Bridge.