Manchester United's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday was marked by a heated exchange between Bruno Fernandes and Andre Onana. The incident has since elicited a response from the team's manager, Erik ten Hag.
Erik ten Hag defended Bruno Fernandes, insisting that he was "acting like a captain" during the match against Bournemouth. This statement came after the Portuguese midfielder was seen arguing with his teammate Andre Onana over his goal kicks.
Fernandes, 29, proved instrumental in salvaging a draw for Manchester United by scoring twice on Saturday. This followed what can only be described as an underwhelming performance from the Red Devils on the south coast.
Erik ten Hag put all rumours of feud to bed with honest admission
The argument between Fernandes and Onana occurred even before Dominic Solanke scored the opening goal for Bournemouth in the 16th minute of play. Despite being told to cool down by Ten Hag, Fernandes stood his ground and ended up wagging his finger at his boss.
In an interview with BBC Match of the Day following Saturday’s game, Ten Hag discussed this incident further while also commenting on Fernandes’ lively performance throughout the match.
Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, said:
"Scoring twice, very creative, it's true he gives a lot of energy to the team,".
"He is acting as a captain, bringing the energy and we are very pleased with this. We are all disappointed but he expresses that feeling. We have to win our games and we have dropped too many unnecessary points in the last few games."
Ten Hag admitted United being lucky in penalty call
In addition to discussing this heated exchange, Manchester United manager admitted in another interview that Manchester United should not have been awarded their second-half penalty - which was successfully converted by none other than Bruno Fernandes himself.
Despite this controversy surrounding their equalizing goal, it did little to mask what had been an overall disappointing display from Manchester United.
Having won just one Premier League match out of their last seven matches played, there is no denying that improvement is needed within Manchester United’s ranks. As expressed by Ten Hag himself, "We know we have to win." The Dutchman's candid admission reflects the pressure that the team is currently under to perform better in their upcoming matches.
While Bruno Fernandes' heated exchange with Andre Onana and manager Erik ten Hag was a notable incident during Manchester United's draw against Bournemouth, it also served as a stark reminder of the team's current struggles. As they move forward, it will be interesting to see how these dynamics play out on and off the field.
