Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes eager to protect club's young players from criticism - 'We have to help them'

In an exclusive interview with TNT Sports, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes says he believes that the club's senior players must help the younger members of the squad to deal with the level of pressure that comes with being at Old Trafford.

United's younger players enjoyed an impressive afternoon during their 3-0 win at Everton on Sunday where Alejandro Garnacho, 19, scored a stunning overhead kick while Kobbie Mainoo, 18, excelled on his first Premier League start.

Manager Ten Hag was full of praise for Garnacho's stunning opening goal and Fernandes said he wants to take responsibility in helping the younger players deal with the ups and downs of playing at Old Trafford.

United face a difficult UEFA Champions League trip to Galatasaray on Wednesday knowing that they need a win to stay in the competition and potentially have a chance of progressing past the group stages.

"I think for young players when they come through, it's easier in the beginning but it gets hard when they start doing something really good because as soon as they get some game where it's not going so well they're going to get the criticism," Fernandes told TNT Sports.

"They have to deal with that and I think us as experienced players, senior players, we have to help them on that and make sure they understand that it's not everything bad when [things] go wrong and it's not everything perfect when it goes good."

The 29-year-old was also keen to point out that situations in his own personal life is helping him when it comes to giving advice to younger players at the club.

"It's not only on football, you always try to help everyone that you know," Fernandes explained.

"I'm a father now so my daughter, for example, goes to gymnastics and sometimes she wins and sometimes she doesn't get onto the podium and you have to make her understand that some days you win and some days you learn."

Although United's form in the Premier League has seen an upturn, they have continued to struggle to find positive results in the Champions League this season.

Erik ten Hag's side sit bottom of Group A and have only managed to claim one win from four matches.

Fernandes understands that the club's European campaign has not been the best so far but expects them to rise to the challenge in their final two games against Galatasaray and Bayern Munich.

"We know it's a really important moment for us where we have to win the game to still have the belief and the hope to go through the group," he said.

"We know we're not in the position that we want to be in the Champions League group and we have to do something to change that. It's not easy anywhere in the Champions League where you fight against the best teams in the world, in Europe.

"Obviously you want to win them and you know the atmosphere will be on fire but it's this that you dream about when you're a kid, you dream about playing in these big stadiums with big atmospheres so just enjoy the challenge."

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