7 Man Utd stars who could replace Fernandes as captain after Keane's demand
It was another tough afternoon for Manchester United on Sunday.
Erik ten Hag's side were thumped 3-0 by Manchester City at Old Trafford, with Erling Haaland scoring a brace and setting up Phil Foden's strike. A lot of the blame was pinned on United skipper Bruno Fernandes, who struggled to make his presence known.
Roy Keane has urged Ten Hag to take the armband off Fernandes, just a few months after giving it to him. He said: "The one thing I would do, after today having watched him again, I would definitely take the captaincy off him, 100 per cent. I know it was a big decision to change the captaincy with (Harry) Maguire, but Fernandes is not captain material."
So, who could be United's next captain? We take a look a look at the candidates...
Luke Shaw
Shaw is one of the leading candidates. The 28-year-old is United's longest serving player, having arrived from Southampton nine years ago. He's played more than 250 games for the club, fought back from a serious leg injury and played under several managers.
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
Perhaps the biggest problem would be his fitness. Shaw's injury record is poor, with the left-back currently nursing a muscle complaint. He also lacks experience with the armband at first-team level. Still, being United's longest serving player counts for something.
Lisandro Martinez
Ten Hag was appointed by United in May 2022 and soon signed Martinez, who was one of his most trusted lieutenants at Ajax. The 25-year-old defender rarely misses a game when fit, and his fighting attitude is why he's so adored at Old Trafford.
"Who else at United are you going to give it to?" former Premier League skipper Danny Murphy asked talkSPORT in September. "The one obvious candidate is Martinez... doesn’t matter (that he’s only been there a year). He looks like a real leader."
Casemiro
Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez are all candidates for the armband (Getty Images)A few months ago, Casemiro was Fernandes' biggest rival for the armband. The Brazil international, 31, joined United from Real Madrid in August 2022 and was sensational during his first season at Old Trafford, but he's looked off the pace since the summer.
There are now question marks of Casemiro's place in the starting XI, let alone the captaincy. It's up to him to show why he was made Brazil's skipper earlier this year. If he can do that over the coming weeks, he might just take the armband off Fernandes.
Scott McTominay
McTominay is one of the most popular players at Old Trafford, having joined the club at the age of five in 2002. Now 26, the Scotland international is starting to take on more responsibility for club and country, starting United's last two Premier League games.
Yet many pundits still question whether he's good enough to be starting every game for United, which puts a dent in his captaincy hopes. McTominay will only become a realistic candidate if he can cement his place in the starting XI over the coming months.
Marcus Rashford
Rashford has shown plenty of leadership both on and off the field in recent years. The activist has campaigned passionately against child hunger - earning an MBE for his efforts - and scored 30 goals for United last season to help them win the Carabao Cup.
Rashford, 25, has been on United's books for 18 years and knows everything about the club. Yet his form has deserted him this term, scoring just once in 13 appearances. He's still a good candidate for the captaincy, but that record is worrying.
Diogo Dalot
Diogo Dalot has received praise for his professionalism (Getty Images)At 24, Dalot is the youngest candidate for the captaincy and someone many pundits would overlook. Yet the Portugal international has received praise from the great Cristiano Ronaldo for his maturity. He might just have the right attitude to make United tick.
Man Utd deadline day live updates as Sabitzer completes loan move
"Diogo Dalot is an example," Ronaldo told TalkTV last year before leaving United. "He is young, but he is very, very professional. And I’m not doubting that he’s going to have longevity in football because he’s young, he’s smart, intelligent and is very professional."
Raphael Varane
The World Cup winner should be an obvious candidate for the captaincy after lifting four European Cups at Real Madrid. Varane, 30, is approaching 550 senior games, and the vastly experienced star is considered as one of the best defenders of his generation.
Yet Varane has struggled to stay fit since joining United in August 2021, making just 52 Premier League appearances. He's also faced criticism for his performances in recent weeks. The Frenchman needs to play more regularly if he wants to take the armband.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
