Bruno Fernandes proved his class by attempting to deflect criticism away from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as his Manchester United tenure came to a calamitous end.
A crushing defeat at Watford in November 2021 proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the Norwegian manager after a dismal start to the season. Harry Maguire was sent off and United conceded four goals during a humiliating afternoon at Vicarage Road, condemning them to a fifth loss in seven Premier League games.
The writing was on the wall Solskjaer, who was sacked one day later, as he went over to thank the fans who had made the trip south to Hertfordshire. As Watford fans taunted him with chants of "Ole's at the wheel", the beleaguered boss held up his hands in apology as he approached the away end.
Just behind Solskjaer, Fernandes could be seen wagging a finger at travelling supporters, as if to tell them not to boo the former forward, while also beckoning to his teammates. The Portuguese playmaker has opened up on why he sought to defend Solskjaer that day, insisting United's players were more deserving of criticism than their manager.
"After Watford, it was like some people were booing him," Fernandes told The Athletic of Solskjaer. "I did not like it because I felt, 'Why not do that to us (players)?'. We were the ones who went on the pitch and lost the game. At that moment, I felt someone needed to step up or protect him. I didn't want to take the blame for Ole, but for everyone to take responsibility together."
Solskjaer was replaced on an interim basis by Ralf Rangnick, who led United to a sixth-place finish before Erik ten Hag took over permanently this summer. Fernandes was pleased to hear fans continue to sing Solskjaer's name after his dismissal, highlighting the fact "he did great things" at earlier stages of his tenure.
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The Old Trafford hero scored 126 goals for United during his playing career, winning nine major honours, and led the Red Devils to second place in the Premier League in the 2020/21 campaign. One of the highlights of his managerial stint was the comeback victory he masterminded over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in March 2019.
Reflecting on the painful moment when it was time for Solskjaer to say his farewells, Fernandes confessed: "When he came to say goodbye to everyone, it was a tough message for him and really difficult. You could feel it was probably one of the worst days of his life."
The 28-year-old also revealed Solskjaer continues to message him from time to time, adding: "He's someone who I want to remain in touch with. I said that to him before he left the club."
