Ferdinand slams critics of Man Utd star for ‘nitpicking’; claims Red Devils will ‘miss’ departee

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has hit out at fans and pundits “nitpicking” over the decision to make Bruno Fernandes the Red Devils captain.

Erik ten Hag made the decision to strip Harry Maguire of his captaincy and appoint the Portugal international as the new skipper last month.

Maguire fell down the pecking order last season under Ten Hag with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez emerging as the Dutchman’s preferred centre-back pairing.

Man Utd have now accepted a £30m bid for the former Sheffield United defender with Fernandes set for his first official outing as club captain when they take on Wolves on Monday night.

Fernandes was criticised by Gary Neville and Roy Keane last season for his “disgraceful” body language in the Red Devils’ 7-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.

There have been some on social media and elsewhere criticising the decision to make Fernandes captain over Martinez, for example, but Ferdinand thinks they are just “nitpicking”.

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Ferdinand said on TNT Sports: “Captaincy, is Bruno the right fit? There’s been some talk that (Lisandro) Martinez may have been a better fit…I’m delighted he’s got it. People are nitpicking. Look at Bruno and look at his output since he’s been at the club.

“No-one is near him in terms of numbers, in terms of influence and consistency. He’s been that guy. He’s been rewarded and rightly, so I think., Nitpicking at his demeanour – is that a worry? Anyone that would have got the job people would have said ‘well, what about this?’

“It would have been different things for different people. I think there are elements in his game, or his demeanour maybe, that as a captain, just having the armband and the responsibility will sort itself out because he’s mature enough to understand his actions have consequence or an impact on other people.

“When you get the armband, and I’ve experienced that, you self-regulate anyway, and I think he’ll do that.”

David de Gea has already left the club on a free transfer this summer and his former team-mate Ferdinand reckons Man Utd will “miss” the Spaniard this season.

Ferdinand added: “I think they’ll miss him. He’s arguably the best shot-stopper around, won the Golden Glove last year.

“So, I don’t think in any other era would the keeper that won the Golden Glove be relieved of his duties at a football club. But the way that the game’s going now, in wanting the goalkeeper to be attached to the 10 outfield players and be a footballer now, that’s why we’re in that situation.

“They brought in a goalkeeper whose one of his best attributes is his footballing ability, the ability to play over various distances, comfortable on the ball, wants to be a part of the footballing side of the team, and that’s a huge part of what Erik ten Hag wants from his goalkeeper, so I understand that decision.”