Pep Guardiola once made it clear that berating teammates would not be tolerated at Manchester City, using a clip of Bruno Fernandes to hammer home the point. The now-former City boss showed his players footage of Fernandes moaning at his team-mates during the Manchester derby at the Etihad earlier this season, which City won 3-0.
Fernandes' Behaviour Under Scrutiny
Fernandes has long been United's talisman, but his interactions with teammates, especially when things go against him, have previously been cited as an issue. During that clash at the Etihad, he was seen gesturing angrily at a teammate after Phil Foden had scored City's opener—which clearly struck a chord with Guardiola.
According to The Athletic, in the debrief with his players, Guardiola clipped up the moment where Fernandes was berating his defenders and made it known that such behaviour 'would not be accepted'. That message clearly resonated, as City players are rarely seen targeting each other when things go against them in matches, and there have rarely been questions levelled at their culture or interactions.
Previous Criticism and Fernandes' Defence
Following a scathing defeat at Liverpool several years ago, Fernandes faced Gary Neville's wrath. The pundit said: 'I'm going to start with Bruno Fernandes. I've had enough of him throwing his arms around at his team-mates, I've had enough of him not running back. He whinges at everybody.'
Fernandes has previously defended his short fuse in an interview with Sky Sports, explaining: 'Sometimes I go over the line. I know that. It can happen in the game and it is difficult to control emotions. But I never try to be disrespectful with anyone. I’ve also been like that since I was seven years old, I don’t want to lose my game. I am really competitive and want to push and give the best of myself. And I demand others to give the best of themselves.'
Fernandes' Success This Season
This year, Fernandes was a leading light for a United side that rose to third following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, with Michael Carrick leading their revival and eventually securing the job beyond this season. Fernandes' efforts have seen him land individual accolades, including the FWA Player of the Year. The playmaker finished his year by registering his 21st assist, a Premier League record in a single season, though his last assist proved controversial with replays appearing to show it was an own goal.
