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Bruno Fernandes has reportedly suffered a blow to his hopes of becoming Manchester United’s next permanent captain as a result of his antics in their humiliating defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
Fernandes has been heavily criticised for his various displays of petulance in the loss at Anfield, with the Portugal international shown throwing his hands in the air and having a go at his teammates.
And concerns over whether he is the right man to lead the side, which were reportedly already apparent before the game, have grown.
Fernandes has worn the United armband in the absence of club captain Harry Maguire from the first XI.
Maguire is set to leave Old Trafford int he summer with manager Erik ten Hag set to appoint a permanent successor.
But Man Utd sources have told the Daily Mail that Fernandes’ teammates have ‘reservations over whether he has the right attributes to take on the position‘.
Players and staff at United ‘were irritated by Fernandes’ behaviour on the pitch on Sunday.
The report continues: ‘The manner in which he appeared to head towards the tunnel at the full-time whistle without acknowledging the remaining United fans is understood to have been received with particular negativity.’
Former Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra has urged Ten Hag to take more drastic action over Fernandes, to break the playmaker’s bad “habit”.
“Honestly, it was embarrassing. I don’t want to just pick Bruno, I love Bruno as a player, but his body language, this is not the first game it was like that. And I see him arguing with players sometimes,” .
“He has this thing and he needs to get rid of that. Paul Pogba used to have this also at Juventus, and Allegri benched him because of that. Sometimes it’s a habit, sometimes it’s not like Bruno is a bad person or whatever, it’s just a habit.
“I feel like no manager has taught him you can’t do that. Like Rio can tell you, I remember when Nani wasn’t crossing the ball to Wayne [Rooney], you remember Wayne the way he was shouting.
“That’s when after the fans start hating Nani a little bit. So me, when I see this body language, as a manager, those players won’t play in my team. No matter if they are good, because this is disrespectful, they give up.”
