- Bruno Fernandes has been captain of Manchester United since July 2023
- He was appointed to this role after Erik ten Hag took over the title from Harry Maguire
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A former Premier League manager has advised Erik ten Hag to sack Bruno Fernandes as Manchester United captain.
The Portuguese playmaker has been United’s first-choice captain since Ten Hag selected him as a replacement for England centre-back Harry Maguire in July last year.
Fernandes led United to a disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Respond to that game on talkSPORTAlan Pardew, former manager of Reading, West Ham, Charlton, Southampton, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and West Brom, claimed Fernandes was an ineffective captain against Liverpool.
Pardew suggested that Fernandes was not the right player to captain a team because of his role as a ‘technical’ creator.
Bruno Fernandes led Manchester United to a 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday
Fernandes pictured frustrated during Sunday’s match, in which he touched the ball 58 times
“You’ve got your skipper there, you’ve got a technical skipper. When you’ve got a technical skipper I think it’s always dangerous because they’re going to have off games,” Pardew explained.
‘Even [Christian] Eriksen in his prime, [Michel] Platini in his best years, they had an off day. They were technical players.’
Pardew further suggested that Fernandes would be less effective as an attacking force when he was United’s captain as he could become distracted by his leadership duties.
“Today it was never Fernandes because they (United) never had enough of the ball,” Pardew added.
‘Defensively he is not called upon. How can he lead the team? It is very difficult for him.
Fernandes pictured with Erik ten Hag earlier this month after the player signed a new contract
Alan Pardew told talkSPORT he doesn’t think Fernandes is the right man to lead United
“I actually think it would be better for him as a footballer to take it off him. I think it might give him a bit more freedom, let him think a bit more freely.
‘He’s probably worried about the back four, worried about the wingers. You don’t really know how to deal with it.
“I don’t know, I think it’s a hindrance for him.”
