Bruno’s betrayal? ‘Toxic’ Fernandes is symptom of United’s culture of entitlement | Jamie Jackson

Michael Carrick must now deal with more dressing-room unrest after Lisandro Martínez’s attack on the board “Toxic”: this is the damning characterisation of Bruno Fernandes from one highly placed Manchester United source after the captain’s incendiary betrayal of Michael Carrick. There has surely never been a greater anti-leadership act in United’s storied history than Fernandes questioning the man who trusts him to unify the dressing room and execute his on-field plan. The Portuguese has proved this faith wrong at the precise moment he was required to step up and exude a defiant togetherness.

Nothing could be more dysfunctional than civil war between United’s head coach and captain, featuring Carrick biting back at Fernandes for questioning his tactics as matters hit a new low in the aftermath of Wednesday’s pathetic 4-1 loss to Como. A litmus test for any leader comes when the storm arrives. At the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium, Fernandes failed miserably, as he squealed about “the staff” deciding the best