Bruno Fernandes’ frustration with Manchester United teammates is ‘demoralising’, warns Ian Wright

The Portuguese attacker has been a star of United’s revival this season

Bruno Fernandes celebrates (Manchester United via Getty Imag)

Former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright says current Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is having a tough time hiding his irritation at players around him not always being up to his own level on the pitch.

The former Sporting CP man has been one of the top performers in the Premier League since moving to Old Trafford just over a year ago, with his goalscoring exploits pushing United up to second in the league table this season.

He is frequently the match-winner and the individual who dictates the attacking play for the Red Devils, and Wright noted how there have been several occasions where Fernandes gesticulates or sounds his annoyance when teammates don’t quite get their own contributions right.

That behaviour must be reigned in, Wright said, to avoid his teammates being upset and made to feel not good enough in the team environment.

“I look at Bruno Fernandes and he just seems to be getting more and more frustrated with people when I’m watching him,” he said on Wrighty’s House podcast.

“I don’t want people to take this wrong and say, ‘oh, Wrighty’s digging him out’. I’m not digging him out, I just look at leaders like him, he’s obviously the leader of Manchester United, it’s blatantly obvious to see.

“Dennis [Bergkamp] was the leader for us [at Arsenal] on the pitch and I never saw him get frustrated with individuals to the point where he was turning and doing that thing because it’s so demoralising for you.

“[Fernandes] looks like a perfectionist, if everything is not bang on perfect he seems to be upset.”

That trait of demanding perfectionism has seen Fernandes take responsibility not just over United’s style, but also taking key set pieces and penalties. The argument against his growing importance to the team is that others have struggled to step up when Fernandes does have an off-match, or is able to be closed out by opponents.

United’s No 10 is unlikely to be in the line-up on Thursday night when United face Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Europa League last-32 tie.