Fernandes blames outside factors for Man Utd slump

External pressures weighing on Old Trafford

The Red Devils finally ended a dismal nine-match winless streak across all competitions with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday. However, the result does little to mask their domestic crisis, with Michael Carrick's side languishing in 17th place in the Premier League table. Speaking after the European triumph, Fernandes highlighted the mental toll that the club's current situation is taking on the first-team squad.

"It’s a question of confidence," Fernandes explained during a candid post-match conversation with TNT Sport Brazil, as quoted by Manchester Evening News. "At this club, it’s difficult when results are negative. There are a lot of factors outside the dressing room, outside of the players and the backroom staff, which make the performances of the club and what we can do on the pitch more difficult. It affects a lot of players. Some deal with it better, some worse. We set high expectations for ourselves, and when things don’t work out, we end up mentally crushed by the frustration of not being able to give the club what we believe we’re truly capable of."

A long-term cycle of disappointment

Fernandes was quick to point out that these struggles are not a recent phenomenon but part of a wider trend that has plagued the record English champions for several seasons. The lack of silverware and consistent form has created an atmosphere where failure feels almost systemic, despite the high caliber of players currently residing in the home dressing room at Old Trafford.

"When the situation is like this, there isn’t just one problem. There is more than one. There are a lot of things to improve, to do in a different way. Unfortunately for us, it’s been happening for a long time, which makes things more difficult. We know that no one at this club [likes to] not be winning. When you sign for this club, represent this club, it’s because you want something more. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been the case in the last few years," he said.

Clearing the air with Michael Carrick

Aside from the general form of the team, Fernandes addressed rumors of a rift between himself and Carrick. The midfielder was recently benched for a clash against Chelsea following public criticism of the team's tactical setup, but he insisted that the relationship remains professional and built on mutual respect despite the recent disciplinary measure.

"The club needed that win, the players needed that win [vs Roma], it's something that we needed as a group of players. We've been working so hard to get out of this situation together. It's been tough, there's been a lot of speculation in the media, a lot of lies around many things that happened in this club between me and the manager, like that we had clear-the-air talks. Nothing like that happened," the Portuguese star stated.

Focus shifts back to the Premier League

Fernandes was also quick to defend Carrick's authority, acknowledging that his spell on the sidelines was a justified consequence of his own dip in performance levels. He reiterated his commitment to the project, regardless of the noise surrounding the club's leadership or the reported tension within the training ground over the past few weeks.

"The manager took a decision to put myself on the bench [vs Chelsea] because I wasn't performing and that's fair, everyone felt it was a punishment for the words I said, and if it was, it was right. The manager is the one who makes the decisions; I have to accept them, I have to go forward with them. It doesn't change the belief I have on the manager, on the staff and every player in this club, and it doesn't change my aim to win every f***ing game ahead of me," Fernandes noted. United now face a crucial test against Aston Villa as they look to climb away from the relegation zone.