Man Utd have a mentality issue and it starts with their club captain - Opinion

Manchester United have developed a frustrating habit of taking one step forward only to take two steps back.

Their recent 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League epitomised this erratic pattern under Erik ten Hag.

The match began with a flourish as United surged ahead with two quick goals.

Just as the supporters began to dream, the tide turned dramatically. Porto scored two quick goals to bring the score to parity.

The confidence of the hosts was high, and they scored the third goal right after the break.

This alarming trend of relinquishing control raises troubling questions about leadership.

Unfortunately, captain Bruno Fernandes is at the centre of a weak mentality.

It was not unreasonable to expect a more mature approach from Fernandes in Portugal following his controversial dismissal against Tottenham Hotspur.

Already on a yellow card, Fernandes made a ridiculous challenge. While he didn’t make contact with Nehuen Perez, his actions were reckless and deserving of another yellow.

Having played over 200 games without a red card, he has been dismissed twice in four days.

There is no doubt that he is an amazing player, and United are worse when he is not on the pitch.

However, in times of adversity, the captain must rise to the occasion and lead the revival. Fernandes has rarely shown that ability.

His tendency to throw his arms about and complain only adds to the pressure rather than alleviating it.

He detests losing, and rightly so, but he must channel that frustration into motivation for his teammates instead of resorting to petulance.

A true leader pulls their team up in tough times rather than acting like a petulant child when the going gets tough.