Bruno Fernandes and Erik ten Hag's stance on Roy Keane's Manchester United captaincy criticism

Bruno Fernandes's captaincy has been thrown back under the spotlight following Manchester United's 3-0 defeat to bitter rivals Manchester City on Sunday.

Erling Haaland scored a spot-kick in the first half before netting an unmarked header shortly after the interval to put City firmly in control of the tie. The Norwegian then played in Phil Foden to wrap up victory, yet City’s dominance was far greater than the scoreline suggested.

In the inevitable inquest following the defeat, United legend Roy Keane called for Fernandes to be stripped of the captain's armband after being left unimpressed with his second-half antics. Fernandes cut a visibly frustrated figure in the latter stages of the game, throwing his arms around, complaining to his teammates and going in for some heavy challenges on his opponents.

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"Today having watched him again I would take the captaincy off him 100 per cent," Sky Sports pundit Keane said on Super Sunday.

"I know it's a big decision, obviously they changed the captaincy with Maguire, but Fernandes is not captain material.

"He is a talented player no doubt about it. But what I saw today - we've discussed many times before, it was last season at Liverpool - his whinging, his moaning and throwing his arms up in the air constantly.

"It really isn't acceptable. From what we saw today, I'm thinking I would take that off him.

"You have to start somewhere. We were talking about where do you start [fixing the problems] - the manager, board level. I would start with that because the manager is capable of doing that.

"Fernandes is