Bruno Fernandes’ conduct as Manchester United captain is facing renewed scrutiny, as former forward Andy Cole characterises his actions as “disrespectful.”
Under Erik ten Hag, the 2023–24 campaign has been a forgettable one for United, currently sitting in sixth place, with numerous issues evident both on and off the pitch.
Fernandes, along with other United players, has been subject to criticism, particularly for what is perceived as petulant behaviour in his role as the club captain.
Andy Cole, a legendary figure at Old Trafford, believes such actions demonstrate a lack of respect towards his teammates.
Cole also highlighted the limited options for captaincy beyond the Portuguese star.
Speaking in an interview with Betfred, the ex-United forward said: “There’s talk about Bruno Fernandes not being the right choice for captain, but if you look around the Manchester United dressing room currently, then who else would you give the captaincy to instead?
There’s not four or five standout contenders. Bruno leads in a different way and I understand it. I can also understand that people don’t want to see a captain waving his arms about in frustration, which I personally believe is disrespectful to his teammates, but at this moment in time, he’s the man and he will captain the side in a way that he believes is beneficial to himself and his teammates.”
Fernandes’ leadership shortcomings became apparent during recent international duty, drawing bemused reactions from Portugal teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva during a halftime discussion.
Despite this, Fernandes displayed crucial on-field contributions against Iceland, and Manchester United fans are optimistic about his ability to bring this form to the club level, aiming to improve the disappointing start to the season.
Having successfully completed World Cup qualifying under Roberto Martinez, the United captain will now work under Erik ten Hag as his team faces Everton on Sunday.
Ten Hag aims for a third consecutive league victory against an Everton side motivated by a substantial points deduction.
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Meanwhile, Celtic find themselves in the fourth position in Champions League Group E with one point after four games.
The club has also been fined £10,000 for instances of fans obstructing passageways and using pyrotechnics.