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Former Leicester City manager Ian Holloway has lamblasted Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes, questioning the Portuguese's credentials to be the club captain.
Fernandes was given the armband over the summer after Erik ten Hag stripped Harry Maguire of his captaincy due to his lack of game time last season. The Portugal international has had a decent start to the season, scoring five goals and providing five assists in 23 appearances across competitions.
Despite performing well, Fernandes has left the Manchester United fanbase divided with his displays as captain. The 29-year-old has often displayed poor body language when things do not go United's way and has struggled to lead his team from the front.
Holloway told No Tippy Tappy Football that Fernandes is not a leader (via The Boot Room):
“If you look here, attitude attitude attitude. Their players used to have the best attitude to want to win. And now, as Roy Keane said the other day, ‘hang on a minute’, you know, because he saw the team try really hard without Bruno Fernandes."
He added:
“Fernandes was given a new contract. … when they weren’t doing very well, and I’m sorry, he’s not a leader for me. He is not a leader. He blames everybody else. That’s not a leader.
"What you do is you’re out there, and you do it like Roy Keane used to, you know, but there ain’t many of them around; is there?”
Fernandes was suspended for Manchester United's goalless league draw at Liverpool on Sunday due to yellow card accumulation. He's set to return to the starting XI against West Ham United in the league on Saturday, December 23.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag's stance on Casemiro and Raphael Varane's future
According to ESPN (via METRO), Erik ten Hag is keen on keeping Casemiro and Raphael Varane till the end of the season. But he would allow them to leave Manchester United if they ask to leave in January.
Both Casemiro and Varane were integral in the Red Devils's success last season. They were regulars in the starting XI as United won the EFL Cup, reached the FA Cup final and finished in the top-four to return to the UEFA Champions League.
However, both Real Madrid legends haven't replicated that form this season. Casemiro has made 12 appearances this season, scoring four goals. However, he has been defensively poor and has been sidelined since October with a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Varane has made just 14 appearances and spent nearly seven weeks on the bench, with Ten Hag preferring Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof at the heart of defence.
