Bruno Fernandes proves why he's the right captain for Man Utd and Ten Hag
Suraj Radia
- 4 Nov 2023 19:36 GMT
- 4 min read
Manchester United have come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, with Bruno Fernandes one of the stars drawing criticism after their poor run of form but Erik ten Hag had his captain to thank for coming up big when no-one else would.
Fernandes netted the only goal of the game against Fulham in second-half stoppage time to give United a much-needed win after a run which had seem them lose eight times in their previous 14 games.
The Portuguese international is United’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League this season with an underwhelming total of three goals but his role in the club’s disappointing start to the season has led to questions over his leadership.
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Fernandes was criticised by United legend Roy Keane, among other pundits, for ‘whinging and moaning, constantly throwing his arms up in the air’ in the 0-3 defeat to rivals City last week.
But Ten Hag leapt to the defence of his captain after the win over Fulham, saying: “I don’t understand why (people are questioning Bruno) because everyone has their mistakes, no one is perfect.
“He’s doing a lot of things really well and as a captain, he’s setting an example - we saw today how hard he’s working, he’s pressing and in the end, he’s scoring a goal and he’s massively important for us."
Fernandes does what not many United players do – show up
Fernandes has been somewhat of an ironman since joining United in 2020, only missing four Premier League games across just over three seasons, with just one of those absences through unavailability – a two-day illness during the 2021/22 season.
The 29-year-old has never hidden away from bad moments, while usually being the focal point of the good times, despite perhaps some lapses in performances and temperament in between.
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During a time when United are lacking a number of stars through injury, ill-discipline or simply poor form, Fernandes has rarely dropped his output over a significant period, never going more than seven games without a goal or assist in the Premier League – a significant amount given his side’s struggles in attack.
🚨👀| David de Gea under Bruno Fernandes’ Instagram post:
“You are not the right captain 🤐” pic.twitter.com/xuu6mRXIaM— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) November 4, 2023
Fernandes perhaps has an unorthodox leadership style but his commitment and determination can never be questioned and the skipper’s resilience will certainly prove to be a pivotal part of United’s season as they aim to turn their campaign around.
