Man Utd stars told to 'grab team-mate by the throat' and threaten to 'beat him up'

Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed he would be threatening to ‘beat up’ Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes if he was one of his current team-mates. In an explosive outburst, the pundit also accused United players of being ‘scared’ of the Portuguese international, and has urged him to leave if he wants to win more major honours.

Fernandes was again one of his side’s most pivotal performers last season, scoring 15 times in 48 club appearances.

But he came in for criticism for his on-field demeanour and was regularly angrily gesturing at fellow players and complaining at referees, leading to question marks over his leadership credentials.

And speaking to AceOdds, Agbonlahor has claimed such behaviour shouldn’t be tolerated by those alongside him. “You’ve not won the big boy trophies, but at Manchester United, he’s always throwing his arms up,” he said.

“He’s the sort of player that I would get in the changing room, and I’ll get him probably by the throat and say, throw your arms up at me again, and I’m going to beat you up. Because he doesn’t stop throwing his arms up, even when he passes the ball out of play, he throws his arms up at the player when it’s his fault.”

The former Aston Villa striker added he felt the 29-year-old could go ‘anywhere’ to play his football, but he would be forced to change his theatrical approach. “I think he can go anywhere and play,” he said. “I think he’s an outstanding player.

“I think the bigger club he goes to, well not a bigger club because Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, but a club with bigger players than him. He will pipe down a bit, he won’t be going to Manchester City for instance, or, Atletico Madrid, or Barcelona, or Juventus, and throwing his arms up in the air because you’ve not done much in the game.

“I think Fernandes could go to loads of big clubs, but his attitude would have to change because you’re not the only big player in these big clubs,” he said. “The arm-throwing – players don’t like it. They really, really don’t like it. But at Manchester United, they’re all scared of him because he’s the main player.”

Since joining from Sporting CP in 2020, Fernandes has won a League Cup and FA Cup, with both trophies coming under current manager Erik ten Hag. But despite finishing second to Manchester City in the 2020/21 campaign, a serious title challenge during his stay has not materialised.

And Agbonlahor has now claimed he should exit Old Trafford if he harbours ambitions to win a top-flight title or Champions League crown. “I think Bruno Fernandes should leave if he wants to win,” he said.

“He doesn’t want to look back at his career and say, I didn’t win a Premier League, I didn’t win a Champions League and his team is a million miles off it. Bruno Fernandes will be well into his thirties before Manchester United can get that group of players together. So, if I’m Fernandes, I’m gone.”