The first-ever Manchester Derby FA Cup final in history was always going to be an acrimonious affair, but one flare-up fans might not have expected came between midfielders Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.
Man City took one step closer to winning the treble on Saturday — a feat which would see them equal United’s treasured achievement in 1999 — but at half-time, Bernardo Silva’s derby day mentality was well and truly locked in as the two Portuguese players had a little spat on the pitch.
With the United captain walking up to share a few words with his international teammate as they went to walk down the tunnel, City’s number 20 had no interest in chatting with his compatriot.
In fact, in a moment picked up by the cameras on the day, Bernardo not only did his best to ignore Bruno but even shoved him away when his opposite numbers tried to get his attention.
No wonder Portugal have never been close to winning a World Cup. These lot hate each other.pic.twitter.com/Hyn94tRQO3
Bernardo Silva pushes Bruno Fernandes away as he tries to chat in the middle of the derby.
That’s an icy blue cold shoulder if we’ve ever seen one. Admittedly, Silva looked to have been chatting with the officials and Bruno could have been trying to casually intervene but either way, he wasn’t having any of it.
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Despite apparently having been friends ever since they met in Portugal’s under-18s camp, it’s clear that City star Silva was fully focused on seeing out the result and had no time for pleasantries with the task still at hand.
Moreover, while Fernandes has previously insisted he has “a great relationship with Bernardo” and that the two share regular WhatsApp messages throughout the season, he did admit ahead of that game they “normally don’t speak” until after the full-time whistle these days.
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That being said, it would seem only Silva got the derby day memo this time around and, much like City have been on the pitch for a good five or six seasons now, he chose to remain ruthless and quite literally push his friendship to the side.
Although seeing rival players (often fellow countrymen or ex-teammates) greeting and hugging each other before, during and after a game is much more commonplace these days, it’s still one that split opinion — especially if you’re Roy Keane.
The United legend has previously slammed a number of players from his former club for being far too friendly in the tunnel before going up against each other — including in a Manchester derby not long ago — stating that they need to “cut that” and “just get down the tunnel”.
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Nevertheless, it looks as though the more cutthroat attitude helped the Blues on the day, scoring within 13 seconds to set the tone for the rest of the game.
Pep Guardiola‘s side now only needs to win one more game, the Champions League final against Inter Milan this weekend, to do the treble and put themselves even deeper into the history books than they already are. Regardless, many already believe Pep will go down as the greatest of all time.
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 -
5th June 2023 
