- Fulham mocked Bruno Fernandes on TikTok after last weekend’s match
- Erik ten Hag called for an apology from Fulham, and Marco Silva has responded
- Is Bruno Fernandes good enough to make the bench for Manchester City? Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Fulham boss Marco Silva has given his reaction to the club’s mocking TikTok of Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes that left Erik ten Hag demanding an apology from the London outfit.
After beating United 2-1 at Old Trafford last weekend, Fulham posted a clip on their TikTok account that saw Fernandes rolling around on the floor and asking for a free-kick on the edge of the Fulham box for several seconds before jumping back to his feet to get involved in the game again.
Clearly not impressed by Fernandes’ antics, Fulham appeared to suggest that he had been feigning an injury, and posted the caption ‘So glad he’s ok’ alongside the video.
Ten Hag was asked about the clip in his press conference on Tuesday and called for Fulham to apologise, branding their behaviour ‘totally out of order and wrong’.
Silva has now given his thoughts on the situation, and although he had no issue with Ten Hag defending his player, he stopped short of offering an apology for Fulham’s social media conduct.
Fulham posted a TikTok mocking Man United’s Bruno Fernandes after he appealed for a free-kick and claimed to be injured before jumping back to his feet
Fulham posted on TikTok alleging that Fernandes had feigned injury in Man United’s 2-1 loss
Erik ten Hag called for Marco Silva’s Fulham to apologise for posting the mocking video
‘I am not a big fan of social media but as you would expect I am aware of this,’ Silva said ahead of his side’s clash with Brighton tomorrow.
‘It was a reaction from Ten Hag. When a manager defends a football player I think it is a normal situation. With one of our players, I am going to defend them to the last.
‘We all noticed that Ten Hag said he had not seen the post. He was speaking after a question from a journalist. I haven’t heard the question – I don’t know how the journalist put that question.
‘For a manager in that moment, if you say to me that 10 minutes ago if any club said something about my player, I am going to defend my player even if I haven’t seen it. That is the situation.’
The Fernandes clip went viral, with some fans labelling him ‘pathetic’ and a ‘cheat’ for trying to win a free-kick by pretending to be injured.
Silva stopped short of apologising, but had no issue with Ten Hag defending his player
Silva refused to be drawn on Fernandes’ character, but praised his fellow countryman’s qualities on the pitch, and indicated that the situation had only become a big deal because it involved a United player.
Speaking about Fernandes, the Portuguese manager added: ‘He is a top quality player and a top professional. You are not a Manchester United captain if you don’t have all the whole package in the same box and be such an important player. This is important to say.
‘Ten Hag defends his player. I can understand that. All the other noise around and all that stuff comes because it is Man United. I understand everything – it is because it is Manchester United.
‘If it were Marco Silva reacting in one way, it would probably be finished in 10 seconds after.’
