According to the Manchester Evening News, Bruno Fernandes has been playing injured for approximately three matches, and Manchester United are concerned about his physical condition. The playmaker's form has been below par for the past few weeks.

Carrington training ground has been particularly busy this season with injuries, but for Manchester United, the biggest concern may be the one player who has not missed a single game.

De Ligt, Shaw, Baleba, Mount, Amad, and Sesko have all suffered injury problems, and Doku, who recently suffered a hamstring injury during international duty, will join their injury list.

However, Bruno Fernandes remains as indefatigable as ever. After just seven games this season, Bruno Fernandes has continued his familiar pattern of being the player with the most minutes under Carrick.

The 32-year-old has played in all seven games, with his 558 minutes being the highest on the team. Last season, he was the player with the second-most minutes, and the season before that, he was first. In the 2023/24 season, he was third, and in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, he was second. Bruno Fernandes has played more games for Manchester United than any other player; he is not only reliable but also the team's most dependable player.

For the past seven years, every Manchester United manager has avoided answering one question: what would Manchester United be like without Bruno Fernandes? Any manager would find this a daunting prospect.

Perhaps the person who will eventually have to face this question is Carrick. Right now, Carrick, who is fighting for his future at Old Trafford, probably least wants to contemplate losing Bruno Fernandes.

The captain remains Manchester United's best player and the core of the team's creativity. He is usually the one who pulls the team out of difficult situations. Before the international break, it was already evident that his performance was not up to his usual standard, and now the reason is clear.

Portugal coach Roberto Martínez stated: "He said he had been playing with this pain for about three games, which is one of the reasons why he couldn't perform at his normal level against Wales." Martínez decided to rest Bruno Fernandes for the match against Norway, and Manchester United's medical team has been in contact with the Portuguese FA.

The "approximately three matches" mentioned by Martínez corresponds to the games against Manchester City, Brighton, and Fulham. Manchester United have privately indicated that Bruno Fernandes pushed himself to the limit to be fit for the last two Premier League matches against Manchester City and Fulham.

It seems clear that Bruno Fernandes picked up an injury in the Champions League game, as he was seen limping off the field. Manchester United were leading 3-0 at halftime in that match, but the decision to have him play the full 90 minutes seemed questionable at the time, and Carrick was asked about it after the game.

Carrick said: "We only have five substitutions. We have to make some judgments based on the situation on the pitch. But, of course, he's like everyone else. He's played a lot of games this season, but I think we are building a squad and a team that can deal with these situations in different ways. Tonight was just one of those situations where decisions had to be made, and in the end, he stayed on the pitch."

If Carrick has to play without Bruno Fernandes in the future, this decision might become a source of regret. For now, Manchester United are still managing Bruno Fernandes's physical condition, and he remains with the Portuguese national team, expected to be available for the upcoming matches.

Even an 80% fit Bruno Fernandes would cause a noticeable decline in Manchester United's performance. If he were to miss an extended period, Carrick would face a genuine challenge. Cunha and Mount might be the main candidates to step up, but both have far less impressive records than Bruno Fernandes.

Carrick hopes he never has to face such a situation, but the season has only just begun, and Bruno Fernandes is already dealing with physical issues, while the rest he can get appears minimal.

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