Paul Scholes tells Bruno Fernandes to ‘keep his mouth shut’ after Manchester United captain criticises teammates

Bruno Fernandes has frequently been the player Manchester United turn to when they need inspiration, but the club captain found himself on the receiving end of a sharp rebuke from Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes following the defeat to Hull City.

United suffered a damaging 2-0 loss at the MKM Stadium on August 22, 2026, as newly promoted Hull City produced a disciplined display to secure a memorable Premier League victory. The result was only Michael Carrick’s second league defeat as United manager, but it immediately raised questions about the team’s performance and summer recruitment.

Fernandes did not hide his frustration after the match, openly pointing to mistakes that he felt had already plagued United during the previous campaign.

However, Scholes was far from impressed by the captain’s decision to criticise the team when he believed Fernandes himself had also struggled.

Scholes hits back at Fernandes

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes was asked about Fernandes’ post-match comments.

The former United midfielder did not hold back, arguing that the Portuguese midfielder should have remained quiet after his own display against Hull.

“When you perform the way he did as well, I think it’s probably best to keep your mouth shut, because he didn’t have his best performance either,” Scholes said.

The criticism was particularly pointed given Fernandes’ status at Old Trafford. As captain, he has often been expected to lead United through difficult moments, and his willingness to speak candidly about the team’s shortcomings has become a familiar feature of his post-match interviews.

This time, however, Scholes believed the captain needed to look at his own performance before directing attention towards his teammates.

Fernandes frustrated by familiar problems

Fernandes’ comments came after a performance in which United struggled to impose themselves on Hull.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, the United captain highlighted the similarities between the defeat and problems he felt the side had experienced repeatedly last season.

“Same mistakes as we did last season, every away game we give too much of the ball to them,” Fernandes said.

He pointed to United’s lack of pressure and intensity during the opening stages, noting that Hull’s goalkeeper had enjoyed an unusually large amount of possession during the first 20 minutes.

Fernandes also called for greater aggression and improvements in defending set pieces.

“We needed to press more, be more aggressive, and then again we need to work on set-plays and not concede these type of goals,” he said.

United had been aware before kick-off that set pieces would be an important part of Hull’s approach. Hull had used a back four throughout pre-season but switched to a five-man defensive setup against United, adding greater height for situations such as corners and free kicks.

For Fernandes, the most frustrating aspect was ultimately simple: United had lost the match despite knowing what Hull were likely to try.

Scholes questions United’s midfield rebuild

Scholes’ criticism of Fernandes was not the only concern he raised following the defeat.

The United legend also questioned whether the club’s summer recruitment had actually improved the midfield.

Fernandes started alongside new arrivals Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, with United having spent £85 million on the pair. Both players were substituted in the second half as Carrick attempted to find a way back into the match.

Scholes was unconvinced by what he saw.

“You speak about recruitment wise and I saw the central midfield the other day and I thought ‘that is no better than last’,” he said.

His comparison was particularly revealing. Scholes argued that the new-look midfield had not offered an improvement over the combination of Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro.

“I mean, when you’re recruiting players and looking for a different team, you think, ‘I’ve got to get better.’ To me, on Saturday, that wasn’t better than Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro together.”

The assessment adds another layer to the scrutiny surrounding United’s transfer strategy after their opening-day defeat.

Carlos Baleba adds to United’s midfield spending

United have continued to strengthen in the centre of the pitch, with Carlos Baleba arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth up to £70 million.

Baleba becomes the club’s third central midfield signing of the campaign after Tielemans and Santos. The move takes United’s reported spending on central midfielders to £135 million in the context of the transfers outlined following the Hull defeat.

The Baleba deal was subsequently completed, with the Cameroon international signing a five-year contract with an option for a further year. The transfer is worth £65 million guaranteed, potentially rising to £70 million through add-ons.

His arrival means Carrick now has another major midfield option as United look to respond to an opening-day setback that exposed several weaknesses.

United need a response against Ipswich

The defeat to Hull has left Carrick with plenty to address before Manchester United return to Premier League action.

Hull scored twice from set pieces in the first half and, despite United’s possession, the visitors struggled to create enough of a threat to overturn the deficit. The result was Hull’s first-ever Premier League victory over United and a major statement from a side newly promoted to the top flight.

For Fernandes, the challenge is to eliminate the mistakes he believes have carried over from last season.

For Scholes, however, the captain must also accept responsibility for his own performances before publicly criticising those around him.

That tension will only add to the scrutiny on United as they prepare for their next Premier League fixture against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday, August 30.