Graeme Souness seems to have discovered a brand new Manchester United scapegoat within the form of Bruno Fernandes, who has been praised by many pundits this season for his performances at Old Trafford. The pundit gained a fame beforehand for blaming Paul Pogba for a big proportion of the Red Devils’ points earlier than the midfielder left the membership to rejoin Juventus final summer time.

United have progressed considerably this season, with Erik ten Hag handing his senior gamers plenty of accountability – they usually have thrived because of this. Marcus Rashford has been unrecognisable when main the road, with Fernandes flourishing because of the arrival of Casemiro relieving him of a few of his defensive duties.

Fernandes has scored six and assisted seven for United this season, along with his versatility additionally being a helpful asset when deployed in a extra attacking position. Despite frequently main by instance, and carrying the captain’s armband, Souness just isn't satisfied that the Portugal worldwide has what it takes to choose himself up when the going will get powerful.

Speaking on William Hill’s Up Front podcast with Simon Jordan, Souness stated: “Bruno Fernandes is obviously not a leader, it’s as plain as the nose on the end of your face. His attitude when they went 3-0 down at Liverpool was appalling. You certainly would not want to be in the trenches with him.

“When you become a captain of a football team, it’s about setting an example on the pitch and off it. To have a successful football club, you need good senior players and professionals. I look at myself when I walked through the door in Liverpool, how I changed in the seven years I was there, and what I was like when I left.

"I wasn’t the best player when I walked through the door, but I learned from some very serious football players, and seven years later when I become a senior, I like to think that I passed that information on.”

Fernandes was heavily criticised when United were humiliatingly beaten 7-0 by Liverpool, failing to track back on several occasions and looking disheartened when he was not substituted off. And Souness is fearful that the 28-year-old won't learn his lessons, continuing: “In the case of Bruno, you’ll see him be a star when you’re on top of the opposition and on the front foot, and he can be a real talent, but he showed a side to him that day at Anfield which was very unattractive.

“Erik ten Hag has then chosen to overlook it because he knows going forward that Bruno will win him games and score goals. But he’ll think, the next time he comes up against a really difficult situation, is he going to go missing? I think he already knows the answer to that."