Jason Cundy, talkSPORT host, has hit out at Solskjaer, branding the team ‘Bruno FC’ and claiming they wouldn’t be in the Premier League’s top six without their talismanic midfielder.
Ole’s side produced another humdrum, lifeless display on Wednesday night as they eked out a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace. The Reds have now gone three games totally goal-less with each of those games against Real Sociedad, Chelsea and Palace ending 0-0.
Unsurprisingly, Fernandes, looking visibly jaded, failed to make any impact as United fought out another goalless stalemate.
Man United fan and Sports Bar host Andy Goldstein ruefully admitted he ‘had no defense’ for their woeful display, as the Red Devils managed to land only one shot on target in the 90 minutes.
Cundy however believes he knows exactly what the problem is – that United have become a one-man team.
Barking at United fan Goldstein on Wednesday’s Sports Bar, Cundy said: “You are Bruno FC!
“Without Bruno, you wouldn’t be in the top six. No Bruno, no party, and tonight shows it.
“You are SO RELIANT on Bruno and when he plays badly the whole team does. Did Bruno play well tonight? No, so Man United didn’t play well.
“Look at the stats – when Bruno doesn’t score, when Bruno doesn’t assist, Man United are bang average!
“Someone else has got to put a shift in. You look at Bruno’s body language… they are so over reliant on him.”
Talk has been ongoing about Fernandes’ recent slump in performances, and it’s seen as no coincidence that this has coincided with United’s sudden dry spell.
The Portuguese midfield dynamo has chalked up an incredible record of 22 goals and 13 assists in 40 appearances this season, but many pundits have noticed his poor body language in recent performances, claiming he is becoming increasingly frustrated with his teammates.
Cundy is also equally emphatic that Solskjaer is yet another of the club’s big problems sticking out like a sore thumb, and insisted United need to replace their former striker-turned-manager with a top-flight coach to have any hope of catching rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.
And he insists they should do it as soon as this summer, with RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann an ideal replacement
“There’s a lack of urgency and intensity at Man United,” added Cundy.
“They were poor all over the pitch. Defensively they kept a clean sheet and [Dean] Henderson pulled off a good save. But there was no tempo, and that continued for 90 minutes.
“It’s the manager’s job at half-time, and this is where they seriously earn their money, to change the course of the game. You can have a bad 45 minutes, but let’s not have another one… but they didn’t improve.
“You’re Man United! I don’t think you should be waiting for someone else to appear.
“Let’s say Nagelsmann, go and get him! If that’s what it takes and Man United are going to be one of the biggest clubs in this country and going to get above City and Liverpool and want to get back to challenging in the Champions League – just go and get him!
“It doesn’t bother me one way or the other, but if I was a Man United fan right now, the end of the season is coming and you’re thinking, ‘do we give Ole another three years or do we go and get Nagelsmann?’
“For me, you shouldn’t need even three seconds to think about that.”