Manchester United expressed discontent regarding the depiction of Bruno Fernandes allegedly simulating injury during the closing stages of their recent loss to Fulham in the Premier League.
A video circulated on Fulham’s official TikTok account depicted Fernandes falling to the ground with an injury late in the match at Old Trafford, only to swiftly resume play in an attempt to aid his team’s pursuit of victory.
The clip, accompanied by the caption ‘so glad he’s okay’ and a rolling eyes emoji, implied skepticism from the London club regarding the authenticity of Fernandes’ injury.
While United does not intend to escalate the matter with Fulham concerning the ‘unfortunate’ footage, they express disappointment with the broader portrayal of the incident and the misrepresentation of their team captain.
Insiders close to Fernandes suggest that many players would have opted for substitution following the significant impact he endured during the game. However, Fernandes not only persevered but actively sought involvement in their subsequent FA Cup triumph over Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
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— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) February 29, 2024
Despite facing a ‘serious injury’, the 29-year-old defied the odds by completing the full match and even contributed to the winning goal with his assist, as Casemiro converted his free-kick.
Speaking after the win, Ten Hag defended his captain and hit out at the ‘pathetic’ criticism he has faced. “I don’t say what it is, but it was a serious injury.
“I see social media criticise him. It is pathetic. He has a serious injury, he continued to play on Saturday and then also he fought to be part of this game.
“He has a very high pain threshold. Last year, he did something similar against Spurs and I think in the semi-final. It shows his leadership.
“You saw, that Forest were targeting him. There were many fouls on him. You see when he is getting the ball, they are really tight on him.”
