On eve of new Premier League season, captain Bruno Fernandes calls for ‘more quality to get everyone to step up’.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes let rip at his teammates after their 2-2 preseason draw with fellow Premier League side Everton, saying their performance was “lazy” and calling for further reinforcements.
A second-half goal from Mason Mount had United on course for victory on Sunday in Atlanta, Georgia, after Fernandes’s opener was cancelled out by Iliman Ndiaye, but a bizarre 75th-minute own goal by Ayden Heaven gifted Everton the draw.
The draw put a damper on the Old Trafford club’s tour of the United States after promising victories over West Ham United and Bournemouth last month.
“It’s been important for developing how we want to play and getting the new players involved too,” Fernandes told NBC Sports.
“We didn’t want to finish in this way. Our performance wasn’t the best, and we were a little bit lazy today. We want to avoid that because with laziness, you can pay at any moment.”
United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign in the 2024-2025 season, finishing 15th in the standings, and are looking to strengthen themselves in the transfer window, which closes on September 1. They have already signed Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, both of whom started against Everton.
“It’s improving. But it’s not the place it needs to be. I don’t want to take a dig at anyone, but the club is doing the best they can in terms of the financial situation they talk about,” Fernandes said.
“But it was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here, more quality to get everyone to step up a little more to get to the XI, and I think that is what the club are trying to do.
“Hopefully we can get one or two players more to help with that.”
Asked about Fernandes’s comments, manager Ruben Amorim told reporters: “I think I’m happy for the players to have that feeling. It’s saying that they understand the situation. So it’s a good feeling.
“I think the momentum of the tour was perfect. We had the weeks to work with a good environment, good feeling, and then we go back to Carrington [training ground], and we are near to start the season.
“We are going with the feeling that we need to do a lot of things [better].”
United begin the Premier League season against Arsenal on August 17.
Al Jazeera Sport will have our usual comprehensive build-up and full text commentary of the game.