Man Utd should sell Old Trafford naming rights says Gary Neville
Gary Neville thinks Bruno Fernandes is Manchester United’s best leader under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Portugal international fired the Red Devils into the Champions League last season following his January arrival from Sporting Lisbon. And he’s carried on that fine form into the current campaign, scoring nine goals and registering five assists from 13 Premier League games.
United were a club struggling to shine prior to Fernandes’ arrival.
But the Portugal international has transformed the Red Devils and, now, is leading their charge towards a first Premier League title since 2013.
Fernandes has been nothing but sensational since his move to Old Trafford and Neville, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, thinks he’s the best leader at the club.
“There’s Paul Pogba, there’s David de Gea, there’s Maguire, they’ve all been captain of the team, [Edinson] Cavani with his experience,” he said.
“He (Fernandes) is the leader in that team, leader by example. Leader by what he does when he gives the ball away, he sprints straight after it.
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“Every time the team are on the ball, he wants the ball. Every time he gets the ball, he wants to play a pass that matters.
“He’s transformed, I’d say, the whole club from a point of view of if he doesn’t play, it’s a massive problem, and that’s a big issue when you’re almost reliant on him.
“Of all the midfield players they’ve got - [Donny] Van de Beek, Pogba, Fred, [Nemanja] Matic, [Scott] McTominay - he is just the one absolutely out there as the one of those three midfield players that pick themselves.
“Fernandes has been an absolute sensation at United - he’s the leader of that team and if it’s not him wearing the armband, he could be.”
United star Luke Shaw recently admitted the club were somewhat reliant on Fernandes, something he’d like to see change.
“I think even in our squad now we have unbelievable players,” the left-back said.
“But of course Bruno, the fact he came in midway through the season, to adapt that quickly to the Premier League… it doesn’t surprise me because you could tell he was going to be special with his confidence and aura.
“He wants to improve himself and improve the team. That’s helped us because we were in a bad state when he came in.
“He’s very important to our team now and everything goes through him. We as a team need to take some pressure off him because he’s doing a lot.
“Of course he likes doing a lot but us as other players need to step up as well.