Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has defended current Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes, who has been chastised by Roy Keane.
Following the Red Devils’ 2-0 league loss against Tottenham Hotspur on August 20, Fernandes received criticism from former United captain Roy Keane.
Keane slammed Fernandes and new player Mason Mount for resembling “schoolboys,” and he also slammed manager Erik ten Hag (via Manchester Evening News):
“Out of possession, Mount and Fernandes look like schoolboys to me!” They lack the physicality to recover the ball. We constantly create excuses for them. We’ve heard Ten Hag is a fantastic coach, but we need to see it for ourselves.”
Fernandes had a better appearance in the come-from-behind 3-2 home victory against Nottingham Forest, setting up Casemiro to tie the game at 2-2 before scoring the game-winning penalty.
Ferdinand took aim at Fernandes’ critics, writing on his FIVE YouTube account (as reported by the Manchester Evening News):
“The biggest winner in all of this will be Bruno Fernandes.” I swear to you, the backlash he’s received in the past week has had me sitting there with my mouth open, wondering, ‘How can these people speak like that?'”
He added:
“He (Fernandes) was the league’s most creative player last season.” He’s once again the most inventive player at this stage in the season. The first player in history to generate ten goal chances for his teammates.”
“Since joining the club, he has outperformed every single player in terms of goals, created chances, goals, and assists.”
Manchester United’s next Premier League match is against last season’s runners-up Arsenal on Sunday (September 3). Last season, the Red Devils were defeated 3-2 in this match.