Manchester United claims that they already have better captain than Bruno Fernandes

Following his dismissal for Manchester United against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day, columnist Henry Winter has bemoaned Bruno Fernandes, saying that Harry Maguire is a "better captain." Vitor Pereira's team defeated United 2-0 at Molineux thanks to late goals from Hwang Hee-chan on the break and Matheus Cunha straight from a corner.

Instead of finishing in the top four, Manchester United finished the weekend in 14th place, closer to the relegation zone. Finally, in the 47th minute, Bruno Fernandes' second yellow card for a late challenge on Nelson Semedo turned the tide of the match. For this careless and indolent tackle, the Portuguese have come under fire, and Winter has questioned whether he is a suitable captain.

The game was tied at 0-0 after a barren first half at a misty Molineux in the West Midlands. Bruno Fernandes gave the Wolves the lead with an unnecessary tackle on Semedo. Due to his booking, the 30-year-old chose to enter the challenge with a lazy lunge, putting his foot high on his countryman's shin. The game was won easily by the Wolves when referee Tony Harrington was forced to give Fernandes his marching orders. Due to his suspension, the Portugal international will now miss United's Tuesday night matchup against Newcastle at Old Trafford.

Manchester United faces Newcastle United next

From January 2020 to the summer of 2023, Maguire led United as captain; however, the Englishman was stripped of the title by former manager Erik ten Hag in favour of Fernandes. The new captain's unruly demeanour on the field has raised many doubts about his leadership role, and in recent weeks, the player has faced criticism for not being "at the level required" to play for Ruben Amorim.

The difficult challenge of saving United's season now rests on Amorim. The team needs to get back together fast to prevent more harm when Newcastle United, who are playing well, visits Old Trafford on Monday. Given Newcastle's recent success, United will need to put up a significantly better show if they want to compete with Eddie Howe's team.