Graeme Souness believes that Bruno Fernandes “threw in the towel” in one appearance against Liverpool.
The Manchester United attacking midfielder is captain at Old Trafford, replacing Harry Maguire last season.
While he continued to impress on the pitch, the Portuguese international has attracted attention for his on-pitch demeanour.
One example of that was in the 7-0 defeat to Liverpool last year, in March 2023.
Speaking to William Hill, Souness thought Fernandes was an example of the poor quality of leadership in modern football
“When you look at leaders in the modern game, one example is at Manchester United which is one of the biggest institutions in world football,” Souness said.
“The club captain is Bruno Fernandes. When they were 3-0 down against Liverpool a couple of seasons ago, he just threw the towel in… he’s the captain! If anything, he should still be contributing, running around with enthusiasm and helping his teammates.
“I don’t think Fernandes can change that aspect of himself – it’s part of him. When he’s shrugging his shoulders and throwing his arms around, that’s just him.”
Live on DAZN: Claressa Shields vs. Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on July 27. Click here for details.