2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Felix Keith)
Ruben Amorim can count on Bruno Fernandes to raise the standards at Manchester United when he takes over as manager. Amorim will take the reins from Ruud van Nistelrooy on Monday once he has overseen the final two matches of his Sporting Lisbon career. The 39-year-old has signed a contract with United until June 2027 and has a big task on his hands to turn things around following the sacking of Erik ten Hag .
United sit 13th in the Premier League having won just three of their 10 matches and scored a paltry nine goals. They have drawn all three of their Europa League games this season and are lacking confidence and cohesion on the pitch, while injuries have been another issue. Like many of his team-mates, Fernandes made a slow start to the season and back-to-back red cards against Tottenham and Porto saw him hit a low.
But two goals in the 5-2 thrashing of Leicester in Van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge last week and a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday have shown signs of a potential return to form for the United captain. Fernandes knows Amorim’s management style better than most at United, having kept a close eye on his progress at his former club. The attacking midfielder left Sporting to join United in January 2020 – and his behaviour at the club gave an insight into his leadership style.
When he was still at Sporting, a WhatsApp voice note was leaked in which Fernandes laid into his team-mates. "Bro, I don't say anything! I honestly, if you want me to tell you, I'd rather not comment on anything,” he said. "I think very badly of some of the attitudes of some players.
Actually not a certain attitude, it's an attitude that does not exist. There are players who have no attitude here, bro. They don't want to be here, they don't want to play.
"They don't want to be here then f*** off, let them say they don't want to play. They spend a year here getting money, and then they f*** off, bro. S*** attitude bro, for f**** sake.
" Fernandes has retained some of that fiery approach at Old Trafford and was handed the captaincy by Ten Hag in July 2023, replacing Harry Maguire . He is a passionate skipper who wears his heart on his sleeve and will be ready to give everything for Amorim. It certainly helps that Fernandes is already a fan of the incoming United boss.
"I am a big fan of Sporting and watch a lot of their games obviously,” he told BBC Sport. “He brought the excitement back to the club. It was a club that was a little bit split between board, fans, players when he came [to Sporting].
It was a pretty difficult time at the club. He transformed everything around and brought everyone together." Fernandes will be hoping that Amorim can have the same impact at United.
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