Bruno Fernandes forced to deny asking to be subbed vs Liverpool as Man Utd star reveals what he was signalling to staff
BRUNO FERNANDES has denied claims that he asked to be substituted towards the end of Manchester United’s 7-0 trouncing at Anfield.
The captain was seen gesticulating at the United bench as Anthony Elanga was brought on for Marcus Rashford with five minutes of the game remaining.
This prompted former Manchester United skipper Gary Neville to claim he was asking to come off.
Neville said: “Bruno Fernnades is stood in the centre circle with his arms raised saying ‘why is it me not coming off?’
“Honestly, I have to say some of his behaviour in the second half has been a disgrace.”
Neville added: “I’ve had enough of him throwing his arms about, not running about.
“That wasn’t a captain’s performance by him.”
But Fernandes has since made it clear to club staff that he was asking for clarification as to whether he should play centrally or wide now Elanga was on.
Fernandes has also escaped any further action for pushing the assistant referee as he tried to retrieve the ball for a goalkick.
He was initially stopped from doing so by the official as Fernandes tried to grab the ball off Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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The player then pushed him as he went to get the ball.
But because the referee Andrew Madley saw the incident and decided to take no action no retrospective punishment has been given.
Analysing the incident on Sky Sports News Dermot Gallagher said it was right that Fernandes escaped any action against him.
Gallagher said: “I actually have mixed feelings about it. You don’t want a player to be manhandling an official, but I think the linesman manhandles Fernandes more than the other way round.
“I think once the official does it first, Fernandes is almost fly-swatting, ‘get out of my way I want to get on with it’.”