Man Utd candidates warn dressing‑room chaos as players talk too much

Manchester United’s two leading managerial hopefuls, captain Bruno Fernandes and defender Lisandro Martinez, have publicly warned that the dressing‑room is out of control and that the players talk too much, as Michael Carrick’s tenure hangs in the balance after United have lost five of their opening eleven games.

Recent defeat fuels scrutiny

The Red Devils were embarrassed by their Serie A hosts Como on Wednesday, a side making its first appearance in the Champions League. United suffered a 4‑1 loss, a result that amplified the criticism of Carrick’s tactics and added to the five defeats recorded in the opening eleven fixtures.

Carrick tries to steady the ship

Michael Carrick delivered a passionate press conference ahead of the Sunday visit of Bournemouth, promising to "pick a team to represent the club" without confirming whether Bruno Fernandes would be dropped or stripped of the captaincy. The statement aimed to restore confidence after the humiliating defeat.

Wayne Rooney later branded both Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez "selfish babies" for their public comments, while Martinez had previously hit out at technical director Jason Wilcox last week.

A report from The Athletic on Friday said technical director Jason Wilcox continues to back Carrick, but co‑owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe could intervene and overrule the director of football, even leaning on artificial intelligence to select the next United boss.

Among the names circulating as preferred choices are Eddie Howe, Unai Emery and Julian Nagelsmann, although sources present contradictory views on who should take charge.

A source close to one candidate said, "It’s clear they need order and discipline. The dressing‑room is out of control and that is the first thing to fix." A friend of another candidate added, "The players talk too much. United is one of the biggest clubs in the world and that has to be respected."