Bruno Fernandes labelled 'worst team-mate' and Man Utd squad reaction spoke volumes
Bruno Fernandes continues to disappoint this season for Manchester United, much like his dreadful start to the 2022/23 campaign when he was labelled the 'worst team-mate'
by Ben Crawford · The MirrorAfter seeing red during Manchester United's abysmal 3-0 defeat to Tottenham, captain Bruno Fernandes has come under fire.
The Red Devils came into the season looking to start afresh, with manager Erik ten Hag handed a lifeline in the form of a one-year contract extension while their squad was bolstered following the arrival of new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. But seven points in six games has the club in panic mode.
No player better epitomises such a disorganised and confident-lacking team than their captain Fernandes, whose pitiful displays so far this season – and red for his high challenge on James Maddison, which was later appealed against successfully – are reminiscent of the criticism he earned after a shocking start to the 2022/23 campaign.
Striker-turned-pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor took aim at the Portuguese two years ago, dubbing him a terrible team-mate. It was reported that the United dressing room agreed at the time, too.
Agbonlahor told talkSPORT after Ten Hag's side began the 2022/23 season with a defeat to Brighton and a 4-0 battering by Brentford: "For me, Fernandes, since he's been in the Premier League, yes he's had great stats, goalscoring and assists but he looks like the worst team-mate.
"Every time a player gives it away, every time he gives it away, he throws his arms up at his team-mates, he throws his arms up at the bench.
"I've played with players like him, you'd be fuming at him. He'll press now and then. If that was Paul Pogba, they would be slaughtering Pogba in the media. Fernandes gets away with murder. Did you see Fernandes do anything? It's easy to say Maguire, Ronaldo, Rashford, Sancho.
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"Fernandes, for me, I can't remember the last time he had a decent game. He's always the one that's throwing his arms up in the air. Even when he gives it away. He could pass it to you but pass it out of play and he'd blame you. That's the sort of player Fernandes is. The worst possible team-mate."
It would be typical for fellow players to defend such slander, but according to The Daily Mail, quite the opposite occurred. Ten Hag's side beat rivals Liverpool in their next outing, but after the match, it was reported that some of Fernandes' peers were becoming impatient with him.
Players at the club were claimed to be 'irritated' by Fernandes' behaviour. Reports cited the midfielder's constant complaining and the incident in which he appeared to push a linesman in the back as issues his team-mates took a disliking to – as well as the Portuguese theatrically clutching his face after a minimal scuffle with Ibrahima Konate.
In the two years since, it seems, as evidenced by the dismal performance against Spurs, that Fernandes has developed very little as a team-mate after he left his co-stars with a one-man disadvantage for over half of the game.
Ex-Red Devil Gary Neville was critical of both United and their captain after a shocking opening 45 minutes at Old Trafford against Spurs on Sunday, saying on Sky Sports: "It is one of the worst performances I’ve seen in Erik ten Hag’s time at Manchester United, and that’s saying something.
“It’s been really bad. And he will not be able to believe what he’s watched, his captain sent off. When players react like that, it means something has gone on that we haven't seen initially. He's gone knee-high Bruno Fernandes. I think he slips just before the tackle, but he's not going to get away with it."
Though the initial sending off has been overturned after a successful appeal, Fernandes helped thrust his manager's future into doubt following the defeat. Some reports have suggested Ten Hag will be given just two more games to save his tenure – and it's left United in a tricky place with the transfer window wrapped up and no changes available to the squad until January.
It will be interesting to see how Fernandes bounces back for United when they go to Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before travelling to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday ahead of the October international break.
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