Ian Wright and Roy Keane have clashed in a heated debate about Bruno Fernandes and his impact on Manchester United.
Fernandes has been a key player for the Red Devils since joining the club in 2020 and he was appointed captain by Erik ten Hag last year. However, he has also come in for plenty of criticism for the way he carries himself on the field and Wright and Keane disagreed when discussing Fernandes' influence on the team.
"I think Bruno is a winner," Wright said on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet. "He's frustrated. Whatever we say, he has his faults where he waves his arms up but he's the kind of player that is trying (to change things)."
However, Keane then hit back: "He's won nothing in his career, he's 29 years of age. What has he won in his career?" To which Wright replied: "(I appreciate) he's won nothing. But, irrespective of wanting to be a winner, his standards are high.
"If you take Bruno out of Man United we're talking about players who haven't improved. If he's not doing what he's doing United are nowhere near where they are." Wright continued: "He's frustrated, he probably sees it in training every day, people not up to the standards of what he's looking for and it spills over into a Saturday.
"Because he (still) brings 'it' when we say about his histrionics, he brings it. If Man United are saved in a game it's probably him who's going to do it. He's got every right to be upset with them because they should be doing better."
However, Keane then questioned whether Fernandes actually helps improve his teammates, insisting he needs to try and "drag the others along" with him. "I think he is a talented boy," Keane explained.
"But does he help people out and does he make others around him better? The answer is 100 per cent no. He does like to dig them out, which is fine, but you've also got to drag the others along.
"Would you like to be in that United dressing room today with these guys going... 'not sure about him, I think he's OK when we're winning but we're not going to be winning every time'. How do you stop that momentum and flex your muscles in games?
"That's what I want. We talk about talented players but sometimes it's about personalities in big games and getting you over the line in big games."
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