Hargreaves warns Fernandes' Carrick criticism would have ended his United career under Ferguson

Owen Hargreaves believes Bruno Fernandes would have been frozen out of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson for the public criticism he levelled at manager Michael Carrick following their Champions League defeat to Como.

The former United midfielder was unequivocal in his assessment, stating that no player would have dared question Ferguson’s tactics and that doing so would have effectively ended their time at the club. “You would have never said that under Sir Alex because you would never have played again for the football club,” Hargreaves said. “You’ve got to look at yourself first.”

Fernandes drew widespread attention on Wednesday when he told broadcasters that United’s decision not to press man-to-man against Como had left space behind the defensive line. When asked directly whether Carrick had misjudged his tactics, the Portugal captain replied: “That’s on the manager and staff to see it, not me.”

Despite the public nature of the comments, Fernandes has retained the club captaincy and is expected to feature against Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Carrick addressed the fallout at Friday’s pre-match press conference, insisting the squad remains united. “It’s not divided, no. It’s not divided. We just need to get back to doing what we do best, and we will,” he said. When asked whether he had spoken directly with Fernandes, Carrick declined to confirm: “If I’ve spoken to him or haven’t spoken to him, I don’t think this is the time to go into too much detail.”

On the question of stripping Fernandes of the captaincy, Carrick was deliberately non-committal: “Whatever the situation is, I’ll always do what’s best for the football club.”

Hargreaves also pushed back on any suggestion that United’s current struggles reflect a failure of ambition. “Not one Man United fan thinks Manchester United should be competing for the Premier League, not one,” he said. “But the best you can do is put your best effort in every game, every time you step out there.”

The episode has placed Carrick in an uncomfortable position, managing a high-profile captain whose public remarks have raised questions about the dressing room dynamic at Old Trafford.