Bruno Fernandes will remain Man United captain, says Erik ten Hag
Bruno Fernandes WILL KEEP acting Man United captaincy, Erik ten Hag confirms, despite his own teammates being irritated by his behaviour… while the boss hails the ‘inspirational’ star and says ‘nobody’s perfect’ !
Erik ten Hag has confirmed that Bruno Fernandes will remain Manchester United vice-captain despite his petulance during Sunday’s 7-0 thrashing of Liverpool.
The United manager has defended the Portuguese star, describing him as an “inspiration to the whole team” after he was heavily criticized by fans, pundits and even his teammates for his performance in the Anfield humiliation.
Asked if Fernandes would keep the armband when captain Harry Maguire is not on the field, Ten Hag said: “Yes, definitely.” I think he is having a brilliant season, he has played an important role in the position we are in.
“He is giving energy to the team, running a lot with intensity, in the right way.
‘He is pointing out and training the players, he is an inspiration to the whole team. Nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes.
Bruno Fernandes will remain as Manchester United captain despite criticism for his actions during Sunday’s 7-0 loss to Liverpool.
The Portuguese midfielder did not react well to United’s seven-goal stash at Anfield
Erik ten Hag said Fernandes will continue to lead the team, calling him an “inspiration”.
I am very happy to have Bruno Fernandes in my team and I am happy with him as our captain with Harry. [Maguire] not in the field.
United have a chance to atone for Sunday’s terrible performance when they host Real Betis in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg on Thursday night.
Forward Marcus Rashford, speaking alongside Ten Hag at the press conference, added: “I love playing with Bruno, as you can imagine.
“For a striker like me, he is the perfect player to play. He has been a good leader for us, even when he hasn’t been captain. He is always a good sign.
You have helped others to be leaders. He has done a lot for us in terms of bringing his leadership skills to the table, from the moment he arrived.
‘I have nothing negative to say about Bruno. I support Bruno 100% and I’m behind him and as a team we have to support him because he’s a fantastic player.”
Sportsmail revealed that many of Fernandes’ teammates were irritated by his behavior even before Sunday’s humiliating defeat.
The 28-year-old has captained United regularly and Maguire doesn’t feature in too many games under Ten Hag.
Fernandes clutched his face as Ibrahima Konate hit the midfielder in the chest
Many at United, players included, were irritated by Fernandes’ behavior on Sunday.
With the England defender expected to leave Old Trafford in the summer, Fernandes will be among the candidates to take the captaincy permanently next season.
However, sources have indicated that there are reservations within the United camp about whether Fernandes has the right attributes to be a full-time captain.
Many at United, including the players, were upset by his behavior at Anfield, including the way he appeared to head straight for the tunnel at the final whistle instead of acknowledging away fans who had been left behind.
Several other episodes involving Fernandes on Sunday drew criticism for his behavior.
The 28-year-old went down clutching his face in the second half despite replays showing Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate’s left hand struck him in the chest.
Bruno Fernandes has escaped FA punishment for shoving the linesman on Sunday
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville branded Fernandes “a disgrace” for questioning why he wasn’t taken off when Ten Hag made more late-game changes, although club sources claimed last night that he was actually asking whether he should play for the middle. or on the right flank when Anthony Elanga came on for Marcus Rashford.
Fernandes was also criticized for shoving linesman Adam Nunn in the back, with Sportsmail pundits Chris Sutton and Simon Jordan among those calling for him to be punished.
