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Football pundit and former Blackburn Rovers striker Chris Sutton has slammed Bruno Fernandes for his antics during Manchester United's Premier League defeat against Liverpool on Sunday (March 5). Sutton also claimed that the Portuguese midfielder deserved a ban for pushing the assistant referee in the second half.
Fernandes endured a dismal night at Anfield as the Red Devils were hammered 7-0 by their arch-rivals. The United captain couldn't get a single shot on target, recorded just one key pass, committed three fouls and lost the ball 14 times.
However, it was his petulant behaviour and reluctance to track back when he lost possession and the aforementioned incident with an official that caught the eye. That has brought Fernandes plenty of criticism, with Sutton the latest to come down heavily on the midfielder, even nicknaming him 'The Incredible Sulk'.
The 1994-95 Premier League winner wrote in his column for the Daily Mail (via the Evening Standard):
“The Incredible Sulk racked up quite the rap sheet at Anfield. There was nothing professional about this behaviour. It was more befitting a petulant child, and the push on the assistant should result in a ban, no ifs and buts.”
Sutton added:
“Paolo Di Canio got 11 games in 1998, remember, and I wouldn’t disagree if Fernandes received the same punishment. This was shameful, embarrassing, disgraceful, whatever word you can conjure up.”
He believes Manchester United's primary captain, Harry Maguire, would not have carried himself in the way Fernandes did at Anfield. Maguire was notably an unused substitute on Sunday.
Sutton also feels Fernandes should not lead Erik ten Hag's side when they host Real Betis in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 on Thursday (March 9).
“Whatever you think of Harry Maguire, the club captain, you would not catch him behaving like this on the pitch,” Sutton wrote. "(Erik) ten Hag dealt with the Cristiano Ronaldo problem. Now he needs to deal with Fernandes, starting with deciding whether he deserves to wear the armband in Thursday’s Europa League clash with Real Betis.
"I don’t think he does. Liverpool were fantastic, and United were foul, and nobody embodied their deplorable display more than Fernandes.”
The defeat against Liverpool marked the third straight game Bruno Fernandes failed to make a goal contribution. He has now scored just once in his last 11 games across competitions for Manchester United, laying out four assists.
Manchester United on receiving end of their heaviest Premier League defeat as Liverpool run riot
Liverpool started Sunday's high-voltage Premier League game against Manchester United on the front foot. Their high pressing and energy forced mistakes from the Red Devils, but Erik ten Hag's side did have chances of their own.
Cody Gakpo's 43rd-minute opener set the tone for the hosts, who blew United away with a second-half blitz. Darwin Nunez and Gakpo scored in the first five minutes after the interval before Mohamed Salah joined the party. Nunez and Salah both completed their braces before Roberto Firmino added a late seventh.
The result was Manchester United's joint worst defeat in the English top flight. They previously lost 7-0 to Blackburn Rovers (1926), Aston Villa (1930) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (1931). It was also Liverpool's biggest win over their arch-rivals, eclipsing the 7-1 win they managed in 1895.
