Manchester United legend Teddy Sheringham feels that Bruno Fernandes can learn a thing or two of Red Devils captains of the past as Erik ten Hag’s side underperform in the Premier League.
It was a day which should have been dedicated to Bruno Fernandes’ remarkable resilience, the Manchester United skipper playing through the pain during the 1-0 FA Cup triumph away to Nottingham Forest.
He was spotted limping away from the City Ground shortly after setting up Casemiro’s late winner, while maintaining his incredible record of having not missed a single United game through injury since his arrival four years ago.
The narrative focused not on Fernandes’ seemingly superhuman availability, however, and more his perceived ‘play-acting’.
Is Bruno Fernandes the right captain for Manchester United?
Erik ten Hag wasted no time in backing his captain, demanding Fulham apologise for a cheeky TikTok post which alleged to show Fernandes recovering from an apparent ‘knock’ in double-quick time.
Regardless of whether Fernandes’ pain was genuine – writhing around during Man United’s damaging 2-1 home defeat to Fulham on Saturday – Teddy Sheringham certainly cannot imagine the likes of Roy Keane doing similar, while imploring Fernandes to remember his duties and lead by example.
“Bryan Robson, Roy Keane, Steve Bruce… You don’t get your captains acting in the way he does, throwing his arms up in the air,” Sheringham, who scored the equaliser in that 1999 Champions League final triumph over Bayern Munich, tells talkSPORT (1 March, 9am).
“Man United captains get down and dirty, and make sure they grind out a result. So, when you look at Fernandes, he’s not that type (to do that).
“But there are other ways of performing on a football pitch, and you’ve got to step up and at the moment. He’s letting things slip alongside other players.
“There is no one making sure everyone is doing their job.”
Fernandes can take inspiration from Roy Keane
This is not the first time Fernandes’ role as the Man United captain has come into question. Ten Hag stripped Harry Maguire of the armband before handing it over to the former Sporting Lisbon talisman last summer.
And Fernandes – who’s record against top-six sides has also come under fire of late – will once again be at the centre of attention as United face off against Manchester City this weekend.
READ MORE: Join the conversation with the United in Focus Whatsapp group
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
