Manchester United’s season took a turn for the worse when they suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat at the hands of their derby rivals, Manchester City. The defeat placed captain Bruno Fernandes in the spotlight, with much criticism directed towards him and manager Erik ten Hag.
However, amidst the criticism, the Portuguese midfielder had no time to dwell on it as he was preoccupied with concerns for a former teammate. This situation reminded us that, sometimes, there are more important matters in a player’s life than just soccer, and Bruno exemplified this with a heartfelt message he shared.
Bruno Fernandes shows support for former teammate
In a recent tragic incident in the Netherlands, Bas Dost, the striker for Eredivisie club NEC Nijmegen, collapsed on the pitch during a match against AZ Alkmaar. The game had to be abandoned during extra time.
The 34-year-old player did regain consciousness and is currently receiving medical treatment. Dost had managed to score a goal and provide an assist in the game, which was poised at 2-1 when it was postponed to a later date.
Bruno Fernandes also has a connection with the player, back during their days in Portugal. They both played for Portuguese club Sporting CP and formed a good relationship there. Dost left in 2019 for Eintracht Frankfurt, while Bruno did the same for Manchester United in 2020.
Seeing his former teammate collapse on the pitch, despite the heavy loss he had suffered, Bruno decided to offer his best to the player. He shared a picture of the player in the colors of Sporting CP and wrote, “Stay strong my friend you will overcome this!”
It is nice to see that the player still found time to offer his message of support to a friend in trouble despite the online massacre he has faced after yesterday’s loss.
Bruno Fernandes leadership under scrutiny
But Bruno is facing another terrible situation. The 29-year-old was selected as the new captain of the team at the start of this season as previous leader Harry Maguire fell out of the starting lineup due to his poor performance.
Following the loss against City, United legend Roy Keane, who is known to be brutal at times, called for the armband to be removed from Bruno himself. He said after the game, “I would definitely take the captaincy off Bruno Fernandes. He is the opposite of what I would want in a captain.”
Roy Keane doesn't think Bruno Fernandes is "captain material" š® pic.twitter.com/CfraxrTprc
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 29, 2023
Since the words come from one of the most iconic captains of United’s 1990s success, Bruno could be in real danger. He is often seen whining and throwing his hands around in defeat, which has been a source of criticism in previous games as well. This is obviously not a good trait in a captain, especially for a big club like United.
While it is unlikely that United would change captains mid-season, it is an important thing to note for Erik ten Hag. For now, the team needs to prepare for their Carabao Cup clash against Newcastle United on Thursday.
