Bruno Fernandes didn’t hold back after Manchester United’s 2-2 pre-season draw against Everton on Sunday, accusing his teammates of being “lazy” off the ball. Despite the result not affecting United’s overall success in the Premier League Summer Series—where they emerged as winners—Fernandes was clearly unhappy with the team’s attitude during the game.
United twice gave up the lead in the match, and Fernandes, who captained the side, was frustrated with what he saw as a lack of defensive effort.
Speaking to NBC (via The Telegraph), the Portuguese midfielder said:
"Our performance wasn’t the best off the ball. We were a little bit lazy, and we have to avoid that, because the laziness—you can pay for it at any moment."
His comments came despite the team’s overall positive pre-season tour in the U.S., where they defeated both Bournemouth and West Ham to claim the Summer Series title.
Head coach Ruben Amorim echoed Fernandes' concerns after the match. While generally pleased with the progress made during the tour, he admitted there’s still work to be done:
"I think the momentum of the tour was perfect. We had time to work in a good environment. But it’s also clear that we need to improve in many areas. The players are starting to feel that which is a good sign."
United fans will hope the squad sharpens up before the competitive fixtures begin. After facing Fiorentina in their next pre-season friendly on Saturday, Amorim’s side will kick off the new Premier League season with a high-stakes clash against Arsenal at Old Trafford on August 17.
