European football expert Julien Laurens talking 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.
Former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison 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.
Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher talking to Sky Sports: Bruno Fernandes is Manchester United’s best player, we can’t get away from that. PFA Player of the Year last year. He had to make the stand, Michael Carrick.
Even though he’s the best player, there will be a lot of people who don’t actually like playing with him in the United team. He’s permanently throwing his arms up at people, he’s basically saying, ‘you’re not good enough to play with me’.
That’s what we see from Fernandes a lot when things aren’t going right for United.