Man Utd star Bruno Fernandes forces Danny Murphy to eat his own words

BBC pundit Danny Murphy has admitted that he was wrong about Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, claiming that the Red Devils' Portuguese skipper can lead them to glory despite previous criticisms. The 29-year-old was awarded the armband by Erik ten Hag after Harry Maguire was deemed out of favour and stripped of the role but received significant backlash since the appointment.

Murphy and Gary Neville have led the opposition to Fernandes as United's team leader, with the former Liverpool and Fulham man blasting the playmaker's "petulance" after visibly complaining on the pitch on several occasions.

And while Murphy insists that Fernandes is not "captaincy material" he stressed that the midfielder was one of Ten Hag's strongest options going forward and deserves respect for his performances since arriving at Old Trafford.

He has become a reliable goalscorer and chance-creator, while drawing praise for his deeper role in the FA Cup win over Liverpool when he dropped to centre-back and attempted to play through injury, with Murphy admitting that he must eat his own words after critiquing Fernandes.

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"I’ve given Bruno Fernandes plenty of stick for his tantrums over the years so it’s time to redress the balance," Murphy wrote for the Daily Mail. "He may not be captaincy material in my eyes because of his petulance but he’s also Manchester United’s best player by a mile and the only way they can win a trophy this season.

"If he played for a properly decent team like Manchester City or Liverpool, I bet he wouldn’t get half as frustrated. I’ve always admired players who show courage and Bruno is definitely one of those.

"I’ve watched Bruno closely in United’s last matches against Liverpool and Bournemouth. It’s only down to him that Erik ten Hag’s team were able to eke out a result. That has to be credited and admired. So does his Premier League record of 52 goals and 39 assists in 155 games from midfield - in a struggling United team. Can you imagine his numbers if he was playing in a top side?

"I’m sure that annoying part to his game would subside if United were a more cohesive unit. I can’t disagree that he should stay more focused and keep his discipline as the leader of his team. But I understand that behaviour comes from a place of desperation."