The Portuguese midfielder showed reluctance when required to come off the pitch with just one minute left on the clock at Anfield.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says him opting to substitute Bruno Fernandes during Manchester United’s Premier League clash against Liverpool was a “tactical decision.”
With the scoreline tied at 0-0 until the 89th minute, Mason Greenwood stood on the touchline waiting for the play to stop to make his entrance.
It came as a surprise for Fernandes when his name popped on the fourth official’s board as the player to make way for Greenwood.
Furious with his manager’s decision, the former Sporting star initially refused to leave the pitch and even had an angry exchange of words with Georginio Wijnaldum when he urged him to hurry up.
The Portugal international was seen moaning on his way out before patting hands with his manager and sulking in his chair.
“It was a tactical decision,” Solskjaer explained to reporters why he took Fernandes off late in the game during the scoreless draw against the Premier League champions, via Metro.
“Bruno has obviously been running his socks off for us every single game since he’s come. He’s been here and been running more or less every game.”
“So towards the end we felt Paul [Pogba]’s physical presence in there might be a chance for us. And Mason, when he gets a chance he can score in the blink of a second.
“So it was a bit of a throw of the dice to get Mason on even though he had to defend against [Andy] Robertson.”
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