Bruno Fernandes told he shouldn't be Man Utd captain after Liverpool incident

Graeme Souness has reiterated his belief that Bruno Fernandes is not the right fit for Manchester United captaincy - and pointed to a game against Liverpool as a prime example as to why.

The Liverpool legend didn't hold back in his critique of the Portuguese playmaker, particularly highlighting his demeanor during United's crushing 7-0 loss at Anfield in the previous season. Speaking on William Hill's podcast ' Three Up Front ', Souness emphasized the importance of leadership at a club like Manchester United.

"When you look at leaders in the modern game, one example is at Manchester United which is one of the biggest institutions in world football," he said. "The club captain is Bruno Fernandes.

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"When they were 3-0 down against Liverpool a couple of seasons ago, he just threw the towel in... he's the captain! If anything, he should still be contributing, running around with enthusiasm and helping his teammates."

Souness expressed doubt about Fernandes' ability to change his attitude, stating, "I don't think Fernandes can change that aspect of himself it's part of him. When he's shrugging his shoulders and throwing his arms around, that's just him."

This isn't the first time Souness has questioned Fernandes' suitability as a leader. Reflecting on the heavy defeat at the time, he remarked, "He is obviously not a leader, it's as plain as the nose on the end of your face he is not a leader. His attitude when they went 3-0 down at Liverpool was appalling.

"Fernandes you'll see be a star when they are on top, when they are on the front foot and he is creative, he's a real talent, but he showed a side to him [during the 7-0 defeat by Liverpool] that day at Anfield which was very unattractive. The manager United have right now is willing to overlook that because he is going to win them games moving forward."

Souness has a history of criticizing Man United players, with French midfielder Paul Pogba being a notable target during his time at Old Trafford. In response to the Liverpool legend, the former Juventus star admitted he didn't know who Souness was.

He said: "I didn't even know who he was, really. "I heard he was a great player and stuff like that.

"I know the face but [not] the name. Like I said I'm not someone that watches a lot of [punditry], I watch a lot of football but I don't stay after the game to listen to what they say about why they did this or why they did that. I like to focus on football."