Alan Shearer says Bruno Fernandes is a “happier” player without Cristiano Ronaldo in the Manchester United team.
The Red Devils cruised past Tottenham on Wednesday night with Fernandes front and centre of their improved display while Ronaldo watched on from the bench.
“Would I be stirring if I said Bruno looks happier in this team without Ronaldo?” Shearer told Amazon Prime, via MEN.
“I just look at his performance tonight and his energy and look at his leadership and the qualities he has offered both defensively and offensively and he has done so much for them in this performance tonight. He deserved that goal.”
Fellow pundit Thierry Henry suggested that it was not only Ronaldo taking the spotlight off Fernandes as Christian Eriksen also plays a similiar role in this United team.
“When [Fernandes] first arrived it was about him, and the numbers he had in his first season were the numbers you have after three or four seasons at a club,” he said.
“It was always going to go a bit lower, but then Ronaldo arrives, the ball goes to Ronaldo, a penalty, a free-kick goes to Ronaldo, so your confidence is a bit lower.
“Eriksen arrives. You don’t play with two balls or three balls. You have the ball less so you cannot impact the tempo of the game.
“Yes, the numbers were great, but I’m afraid you only have one conductor who can lead the orchestra.”
