Peter Crouch suggests Sunderland have a player who Man United desperately need to do Bruno Fernandes’ job

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Manchester United’s season is going from bad to worse after another Premier League defeat, and captain Bruno Fernandes has been at the forefront of their latest setback.

The Portuguese midfielder had an opportunity to drag Manchester United back into last weekend’s top-flight clash against Brentford from the spot, but the former Sporting star fluffed his lines, missing the chance to turn a two-goal deficit on its head.

With the Bees going on to make it 3-1 in stoppage time thanks to a Matthias Jensen screamer, Bruno Fernandes’ miss has put boss Ruben Amorim under even more pressure, following an incredibly slow start to his Old Trafford tenure.

And it’s Fernandes’ lack of leadership that has seen Premier League icon Peter Crouch suggest that Amorim should bring in a player from Sunderland, who could bring exactly that to the table.

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Peter Crouch claims Granit Xhaka could fill Bruno Fernandes’ void at Manchester United

For the total lack of leadership, camaraderie and togetherness that Manchester United have shown at times this season, it’s been the complete opposite on Wearside for newly-promoted Sunderland.

Losing just one of their six Premier League outings so far, the Black Cats have been the top-flight’s surprise outfit, thanks to their strong recruitment and never-say-die attitude.

One of those additions that they’ve made to their squad was the marquee signing of former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka, who joined in what was a real coup from Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen in the summer window.

And it’s his experience and leadership, among what is generally a young Sunderland side, that has seen them rise up the table.

With that in mind, Crouch has lauded the former Gunners man and claimed that Xhaka would be ideal for United to turn their poor form around.

Speaking alongside podcast regular Steve Sidwell, it caused room for debate on That Peter Crouch Podcast.

Sidwell began: “I don’t see enough in that Man United dressing room, even if it was to play as a closed door, and just go amongst themselves, lads, we need to pull our finger out. With this game coming up here, we cannot lose. Irrelevant to how we’re going to play, everyone, our intensity needs to be there, our work rate for individually, everyone. I don’t see that in that Man United dressing room.”

“Well, who’s going to do that?” Crouch replied.

“Maybe Harry Maguire.

“Bruno Fernandes, I imagine he would say something. I don’t know, there’s not enough. Compare it to Granit Xhaka on the other side, Sunderland, it just looks like he’s a real leader, right? And they’ve signed some good players, Sunderland, at the start of the season, I felt like they could stay up.”

With Sunderland making such a good start, the experience and quality of Xhaka is shining at the heart of it.

The midfielder seems to be enjoying his return to the Premier League, as he recently detailed after another impressive win for the Black Cats.

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Granit Xhaka says he’s ‘happy to be part of everything’ at Sunderland

It’s fair to claim that Xhaka would be a solid addition for Amorim, but whether he’d be willing to move to Old Trafford is another entirely different situation.

In fact, the Swiss star appears to be relishing his time at the Stadium of Light – claiming that the mentality of Regis Le Bris’ men is unbelievable.

After Sunderland’s win at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening left them in fifth, Xhaka told Sky Sports: “First of all the project [attracted him to Sunderland].

“They brought me here for my experience and leadership, and what I can bring to the team, and I am trying day by day and week by week to show the guys how professional you have to be at this level. They make my life easier.

“Even at my age now, they run, they fight – the mentality that this team has is unbelievable. There are so many more things to come, but first of all, I am happy that I am here with this team and this football club.”

With United in turmoil and Sunderland on a completely different trajectory, a loss to the Black Cats at Old Trafford on Saturday could highlight the vast differences between the leadership groups of both sides.