Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has explained the one thing that Ruben Amorim has done at the club that ‘annoyed’ him.
Fernandes, 30, put in an excellent performance during United’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool in the Premier League fixture at Anfield yesterday.
After the positive showing, the Portuguese gave a brutally honest interview to Sky Sports, explaining how he was “pretty upset” that the side could not produce the level of performance seen at Anfield “every week”.
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"Obviously, we've been criticised, and fairly, because the position in the table says it all,” stressed Fernandes.
“We've lost too many points. Even today, we can't be happy with the draw because we need points more than they need.
"It's a really good result and a fair result, both teams played good football, and it was intense.
“I'm pretty upset because we can show this against Liverpool at Anfield, first in the league, the outstanding team in the Premier League this season, why can't we do this every week?
"It frustrates me, first because I think, finally, I did a proper performance overall. We need to be aware that we need much more from ourselves to get something from this season.”
But it was something else that the former Sporting CP man said that has captured the attention of United fans.
Fernandes also referred to something that Amorim, 39, has done that “annoys” him.
The United was captain suspended for the Red Devils’ 2-0 defeat against Newcastle on December 30 but still gave his take on Amorim’s decision to substitute Joshua Zirkzee just 32 minutes into the game at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese explained how he had “never seen something like that” and added how it “really frustrates” and “annoys” him because Zirkzee, 23, “is a player that gives his all".
"He [Joshua Zirkzee] hasn't shown all the quality, but it can't be that from the first game of the season, everyone was hyping him as one of the best strikers, and now everyone doesn't believe in him anymore,” said Fernandes.
"We do believe in him inside the dressing room. I would rather be myself in this position against Newcastle and not seeing one of my team-mates in that position."
Since the incident, Zirkzee has been linked with a move to Juventus but still made a cameo appearance at Anfield yesterday and was serenaded by supportive chants from the United fans gathered at the Anfield Road end of the ground.
However, he could've had a hand in a potential winning goal when his cutback pass was struck over the bar by Harry Maguire in the dying embers of the game.
Next up, United will travel to north London where they will face Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup at the Emirates on Sunday.
Topics: Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Amorim, Premier League, Liverpool, Joshua Zirkzee, Transfer News
Luke Davies