Manchester United might have gotten their revenge over Aston Villa with their 4-2 win on Thursday night, but not without one player once again winding up a fair few fans online.
Bruno Fernandes has been one of the most important players for United since he arrived at the club back in January 2020, enjoying an utterly ridiculous debut season for stats and having played a key creative role ever since.
However, while he scored on the night and helped the Reds come back from a goal down on two occasions with his deflected finish, assist and all-round his chance creation, arguably his biggest moment in the game came when he decided to collapse into defender Ezri Konsa.
Even for Bruno, this is pretty ridiculous. Social media certainly seemed to agree, anyway.
One of his finest performances to date. Academy Award’s in the post.
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Even among many United fans, Bruno’s diving and fairly regular on-pitch antics have become a source of frustration, so you can only imagine how it’s received by fans of other teams.
Reacting to a lengthy post on the r/soccer subreddit, fans branded his latest dive as “classic Bruno” and “absolutely laughable, some even went so far as to label him a “little rat” and “the whiniest c*** in the league”. Tell us how you really feel.
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Despite his impressive performance in the second-half turnaround, the truth is that this kind of sh*thousery is just part and parcel of Fernandes’ game and, much to the annoyance of other teams and fans, often yields results.
Either way, thanks to goals from Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay and an equaliser from Anthony Martial on his comeback, United were back to winning ways after having been turned over by Villa 3-1 just days before.
There was also another appearance by Alejandro Garnacho, who managed to grab two assists and the man of the match award in just over half an hour on the pitch.
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The youngster is one of the hottest prospects at the club and fans have been crying out to see more of him. It’s clear to see why. Bruno himself has already explained that Garnacho’s “attitude” back in pre-season was one of the main reasons he’s been made to wait.
The Red Devils are now through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and still have eight wins in their last 11 games, not to mention are sitting fifth in the Premier League with a game in hand on the two teams above them.
Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press Shot (via SCFC)
Sport
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Danny Jones -
11th November 2022 
