“He was very poor” – Mikel Obi blames one player for Manchester United’s draw with Crystal Palace

Former Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi has criticised Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes for his underwhelming performance during their weekend clash against Crystal Palace, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Red Devils failed to build on their 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley at Old Trafford, managing only a point during their visit to Selhurst Park.

Erik ten Hag’s men attempted 15 shots in total, but none found the target. Among these, the Portuguese captain had four attempts, all of which came to nothing.

Mikel Obi, holding Fernandes responsible for the team’s failure to secure a win, believes the player could have done much more.

“Bruno Fernandes on the pitch was rubbish the whole game,” Mikel said on the on the Obi One Podcast. “Just because he is captain, you don’t have to leave him on the pitch. I know he is one of United’s best players, but he was very poor on the day, giving the ball away so many times. Ten Hag should have taken him off. It comes down to managers being bold enough to make the right decisions, and he wasn’t.”

The English Premier League giants are set to face Dutch side Twente in their Europa League opener tomorrow, where Fernandes will be looking to make a stronger impact.