Bruno Fernandes Reveals How Michael Carrick Transformed Manchester United's Game
Bruno Fernandes has praised the influence of Manchester United's interim boss Michael Carrick, whose approach of allowing players tactical freedom has sparked an impressive four-match winning run.
Saturday's 2–0 victory against 10-man Tottenham Hotspur makes Carrick only the third manager in United's history to secure wins in his opening four competitive fixtures. His predecessor, Ruben Amorim, failed to achieve four consecutive victories throughout his 63-game tenure.
"I believe Michael arrived with the correct philosophy of empowering players with accountability, while also providing freedom to make crucial decisions on the field," Fernandes shared with TNT Sports following the Spurs triumph.
"He communicates excellently and I think he recalls when I mentioned during his previous stint as our manager that Michael had the potential to become an outstanding manager, and now he's demonstrating exactly that.
"We're hoping to support him further so everyone can witness, not only us as players, that we possess quality and deserve to represent Manchester United, but also that our coaching staff is exceptional."
How Carrick Has Turned Things Around at Man Utd
How Carrick Has Transformed Manchester United's Fortunes
United appear completely transformed from the team that faltered under Amorim throughout the previous year—which makes sense given the changes implemented.
Amorim remained committed to his 3-4-2-1 formation philosophy, requiring players to abandon their natural positions and adapt to a system that never seemed suited to Premier League football.
This inflexible tactical approach appeared to restrict United, who have clearly thrived under the fresh perspective brought by Carrick.
For Carrick, the most effective strategy might be minimal tactical interference. Questions about this United squad's talent have never existed—especially following the summer recruitment—and the interim manager is simply allowing his top performers to excel in their natural roles.
Fernandes has emerged as one of the primary winners from the managerial switch. No longer confined to a deeper midfield role, the playmaker has returned to orchestrating attacks and influencing the final third, empowered by the tactical freedom and confident in the support structure behind him.
Kobbie Mainoo operates behind Fernandes, liberated to control the game's rhythm in a framework that maximizes his abilities, while returning to the familiar four-defender setup has benefited the entire squad significantly.
Carrick has expressed his desire to remain at Old Trafford beyond the current campaign. While the manager acknowledges this early success shouldn't dictate United's long-term managerial strategy, continued positive results will make his candidacy increasingly difficult to overlook.