Steve McManaman has caused a stir after he didn't include Bruno Fernandes in his Premier League Team of the Year.
The Portuguese midfielder has had a transformative effect on Manchester United after making a move from Sporting CP in January, with an impressive 18 goals and 14 assists in 29 appearances in the top flight.
His scintillating form was a key factor in United securing third place last term and has shone again this season - helping United finish 2020 just three points off the top with a game in hand going into next year.
However, McManaman could not find space for him in his best-performing 2020 XI - instead anchoring the midfield with Liverpool title-winning duo Fabinho and Jordan Henderson as well as picking last season's PFA Player of the Year, Kevin De Bruyne, ahead of Fernandes.
"I think he's [Fernandes] been incredible for them, I really do, but my team of the year needed to be with Fabinho and Henderson because they won the league by many, many points." McManaman explained, as per The Mirror.
"Then I've flung Kevin De Bruyne in because I just think he's fantastic. If I have to choose between Kevin De Bruyne as my attacking midfielder, or Bruno Fernandes, De Bruyne wins every time."
A cheeky dig from the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder then followed, with McManaman adding: "I think he's had an incredible impact for Manchester United, scoring an incredible amount of penalties."
I've honestly never seen such a bias football pundit as Steve McManaman - "I can't even say his [Bruno Fernandes] name, Liverpool won the league so Fabinho gets in my team" 🤦🏻♀️ even Alan Shearer was laughing in bemusement
— Hannah Parker (@Haych_Pea) December 30, 2020
Steve McManaman picking a Premier League team of 2020 without Bruno Fernandes 💀💀💀💀💀
— David Teague (@daveyteague96) December 30, 2020
Typical scouser Steve Mcmanaman refusing to put Bruno Fernandes in his Premier League team of 2020, must have been watching different to the rest of us...
— Ryan Williams (@ryanewilliams9) December 30, 2020
McManaman's fellow pundits Peter Crouch and Alan Shearer both had the former Udinese man in their sides - which in turn meant Fernandes was selected for the overall Amazon Premier League Team of the Year.
And what a team it is by the way.
source https://www.sportbible.com/football/news-steve-mcmanaman-omits-bruno-fernandes-from-his-premier-league-toty-20201231
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