Bruno Fernandes accuses pundits of double standards when comparing his fortunes to Nicolas Pepe

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Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has accused British pundits of double standards when analysing foreign players who move to the Premier League.

Foreign players sometimes need a period of adaption when making the move to the biggest league in the world.

Unlike Europe’s other top leagues, the Premier League is played at a frantic pace and tempo, and players are often surprised by how physically demanding the English game is.

However, Fernandes didn’t need anytime whatsoever to bed himself in and slowly adapt to the rigours of the English game.

United’s Portuguese Magnifico hit the ground running and took to the English game like a duck to water.

Bruno Fernandes accuses pundits of double standards

Prior to signing for the Red Devils in a deal that could reach £67.7m in add-ons, the Portugal international had scored 67 goals and provided 50 assists from 137 matches for Sporting Lisbon before making the move to Manchester in January 2020.

Fernandes scored eight goals in his first 14 Premier League appearances and played a starring role in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United overtaking clubs including Leicester and Chelsea to finish third and secure Champions League football.

In his first full season (2020-21) at the Theatre of Dreams, Fernandes scored 28 goals in all competitions as United finished second in the Premier League and got to the Europa League final before being beaten by Villarreal on penalties in Gdansk.

The 28-year-old has 51 goals and 40 assists from 134 matches for the twenty-time league champions.

Another man who was tipped to have a influential impact in the Premier League was Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe.

Pepe, who scored 37 goals and provided 18 assists for Lille, was signed by Arsenal for a club-record £72m in August 2019.

The 27-year-old has struggled to shine in England and he was sent out on a season-long loan to Ligue 1 side Nice this summer, due to him being out of favour at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta.

The African hasn’t had the same devastating impact Fernandes has had since his big money move to England and he has 27 goals and 21 assists to his name from 121 matches for the Gunners.

However, speaking in an interview with The Athletic, Fernandes felt British pundits gave Pepe more leeway for underwhelming performances compared to himself, such was the Arsenal loanee’s struggle to adapt to the Premier League.

“He (Pepe) had some bad games and everyone was saying, ‘He still has to adapt’,” says Fernandes, “but when Bruno was having a bad game, it was just because he was moaning or not focused on the game.

“For me, that was good, because it meant that I was ready and that’s why they were demanding so much from me.”

With United’s club captain Harry Maguire having to settle for a place on the bench currently, Erik ten Hag has handed the captain’s armband to Fernandes, and that has coincided in the Reds winning five consecutive games in which the attacking midfielder has captained the side.