Carrick strongly supports Bruno Fernandes staying at Manchester United next season! Rooney’s eldest son boosts morale with new contract and scores four goals wearing number 7

Under Rúben Amorim’s management, Bruno Fernandes’ future at Manchester United was heavily questioned because his defensive skills didn’t suit the 3-4-3 setup where he played centrally. As a result, many urged the club to sell him. Yet, with Carrick reverting to a 4-2-3-1 formation and placing Fernandes back in the number 10 position, his contributions were acknowledged again. This summer, the 31-year-old Fernandes is almost certain to remain at the club unless he strongly requests a transfer.

Manchester United’s opening goal came from a brilliantly designed corner routine orchestrated by Fernandes. He then secured the 2-0 victory by scoring himself in the second half. After the match, manager Carrick praised Fernandes’ consistency and clearly supported him continuing with the team next season. If United qualify for the Champions League and even challenge for the title, Fernandes is unlikely to seek a move away.

Carrick said: “Having an extra player on the pitch can actually complicate things; over the years we’ve seen many different developments, and playing 11 versus 10 is not a guaranteed win. Scoring the first goal is crucial because it gives you a big advantage. I think the key is encouraging players to be creatively offensive, but not to do whatever they want, like playing in a playground trying too many tricks. The important thing is to play with purpose and confidence. Our first goal came from a cleverly organized corner; there are many ways to score, and the players executed it well. We must thank coach Jonny (Evans) and analyst Hasegawa (Kaita), who designed the plan within a few days and worked hard with the players. There are many ways to break down the opponent’s defense, and luckily we managed it today.”

Fernandes had a chance to add another assist in this match, but unfortunately Sheshko wasted the good scoring opportunity he created near the end of the game. Nevertheless, the Portuguese international became the second fastest player in club history, after Rooney, to be involved in 200 goals.

Carrick believes Fernandes might be one of the best-performing players in the Premier League right now. “I think Bruno has been very consistent over a long period,” Carrick said, “He always shows up at important moments and, in most cases, has a decisive positive impact on the outcome.”

The Manchester United coach added: “And he really cares about the club, which is obvious. He wants the club to succeed and the team to perform well. He is also capable of playing in many different positions. Today he mainly attacked from the left side and eventually scored from there. He remains calm in critical moments and plays a decisive role for us. This isn’t new. Hopefully, this continues. I believe he will have some more outstanding performances between now and the end of the season.”

Rumors suggest Manchester United might sign Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer as a replacement for Fernandes. Palmer completed a first-half hat-trick in Chelsea’s Premier League match against Wolves, becoming the player with the most hat-tricks for Chelsea in the Premier League and the only player to score three hat-tricks all in the first half of matches in the league’s history. After the game, Fernandes even interacted with him on social media, praising him as an excellent player.

However, Palmer denied any possible transfer to the Red Devils, whom he has supported since childhood: “People like to chat about meaningless things. I don’t really care about those opinions; others can think whatever they want. I come from a good family background, so it doesn’t bother me.”

Some Manchester United academy players may also have big ambitions to succeed Fernandes in the future, possibly including Rooney’s eldest son, Kai Rooney. British media revealed this week that Manchester United has offered the 16-year-old left-footed talent a four-year professional contract worth £50,000 per year. Shortly after, Kai Rooney scored four goals in a match.

In the Premier League Cup semifinal for Manchester United’s under-16 team against Norwich, Kai Rooney wore the number 7 jersey and scored four goals personally. After the match, he held the match ball on the sidelines, showed four fingers, and displayed his jersey in the dressing room. If Carrick continues coaching next season, Kai Rooney is expected to join the first team, as Carrick and Rooney are friends who often watch their sons play together. Carrick’s son Jesse, who is the same age as Kai, is also part of Manchester United’s youth system and has received a professional contract.