Fernandes likes cryptic 'no longer care' post after Carrick drops him in Bournemouth rout

Bruno Fernandes signalled his frustration with Manchester United manager Michael Carrick by liking an Instagram reel captioned “Never push a loyal person to the point they no longer care”, hours after being left on the bench throughout a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth.

The United captain was not in the starting XI and was not introduced as a substitute despite his side falling further behind, a decision that came just days after Fernandes had publicly criticised the team’s tactics following a Champions League loss to Como. Carrick responded by dropping him for the Bournemouth fixture entirely.

The social media post Fernandes liked carries additional weight beyond its caption. The accompanying video depicts a stone figure holding back a giant boulder to protect a small town, only to be struck by projectiles from the very settlement it is shielding — at which point it steps aside and allows the boulder to destroy the town. The imagery invites a fairly direct reading: Fernandes sees himself as the player holding United together, and feels he is being punished for it.

The defeat leaves United in 17th place in the Premier League, and Carrick is reported to be on the verge of losing his job. The club has now suffered back-to-back damaging results, with the manner of the Bournemouth loss — a captain unused on the bench, a manager under severe pressure — underlining how quickly the situation has deteriorated.

Fernandes has been one of United’s most consistent performers in recent seasons and wears the armband, making his public omission and the subsequent social media activity an unusually visible sign of discord between player and coaching staff.