Man Utd midfielder Bruno Fernandes is a fan favourite at Old Trafford, but he can often receive criticism from pundits.
Fernandes delivered a thoughtful answer.(Image: BBC Sport)
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes was asked what critics get wrong about him and responded: "Nothing."
Fernandes is regarded as the best signing of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. The United captain has produced remarkably consistent performances since signing from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
The Portugal international won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for a fourth time last season, joining David de Gea and Cristiano Ronaldo as the only other players to have won the award four times.
Fernandes attracted interest from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in the summer transfer window, but he turned down a lucrative offer to remain in the Premier League.
The United captain is hoping to lead his team to victory against Manchester City this weekend. Speaking ahead of the Manchester derby, Fernandes gave a candid interview to BBC Sport where he was asked: "What is one thing people get wrong about you?"
Fernandes responded: "Nothing. People have an opinion about me and I can't change that. That's the way people want to judge you about what they see on the pitch or the television or interviews.
"I can't change that. They have the freedom to think the way they want about me, as I have the freedom to think about them. I don't judge people until I know them.
"They can have an opinion about me, that's fine - we all have an opinion, and that's why life is so good and so different. If we all think the same way it would be so boring."
Fernandes was asked what he believed to be the toughest part of football, replying: "Being consistent, I think. During 90 minutes, you have to be so consistent in everything you do," he said.
"Sometimes it slips away from you and it can change everything. So I think consistency in the first thing - consistent in doing whatever you think is the best for the team, because that has to come first of everything and you can't do anything without thinking of the team first.
"That's true in football, and it's what has to come above everything because there's nothing more important than the team. And then it comes to yourself to put yourself in the best position to help the team.
"And when I'm on the pitch, that's the thing that I have most in my head - to do my things will help the team to become better so I have to. I have to be the most consistent and accurate player I can be in any moment of the game, not with the ball, but also without the ball.
"But also in some things that you have to say to your teammates when you want to change something position-wise, changing set-pieces as to be accurate because if little things change, it can go against you."
When asked whether he gets nervous in games, Fernandes said: "No, never. During the games? No. Before the games I can get nervous. During the game I just think about the goal we have for the game, which is to win.
"I remember every step that we have trained and that my teammates have to do and I remember every position they have to do.
"When I go to a training session I focus not only on what I have to do but what is around me because it can change, I have to play a different position or a teammate could not be aware of where he has to be or which position he should stay.
"On set-pieces, I know exactly where everyone has to be. The only nervous thing is getting everything into my memory so I can remember in the game every step.
"Also, when I'm on the ball I know every movement my teammates have to do. To be aware of, 'I'm on the ball here so this is what we trained' - but you have to think that in a split second.
"It gets automatic because I think about that during the week until the game. When you think so many times about something your muscle memory works by itself."
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