Bruno Fernandes is SUSPENDED for Man United's crucial trip to Liverpool after captain was booked for dissent during humiliating defeat by Bournemouth... with cheap caution piling the misery on Erik ten Hag

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Bruno Fernandes will miss out on Manchester United's crunch trip to Liverpool
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By Daniel Davis For Mailonline

Published: 17:06 GMT, 9 December 2023 | Updated: 17:45 GMT, 9 December 2023

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes will miss out on his side's crucial trip to Liverpool after picking up a booking in the shock loss by Bournemouth.

Playmaker Fernandes was shown a yellow card by referee Peter Bankes for dissent during the dying stages of his side's humiliating 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

The caution, given after an argument with the official, was his fifth of the season, meaning he will be forced to watch the showdown at Anfield from the stands.

United remain three points adrift of the Champions League places after their home setback to Andoni Iraola's side but have played a game more than their rivals.

Dominic Solanke made an early breakthrough to stun the crowd, before second-half goals from Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi capped off a miserable outing.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes will miss out on his side's trip to Liverpool

United's captain picked up a costly booking for dissent during the 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth

Fernandes has started every Premier League game for United this season, scoring five goals and racking up five assists across the top-flight and Champions League.

His booking will see him serve out a one-match ban.

The 29-year-old's yellow card came in the 84th minute, when the visitors were already leading by three goals, after a foul on Bournemouth defender Adam Smith.

He will prove a big miss for United on Merseyside. Last season, Ten Hag's side were crushed in a 7-0 demolition job and will be heavy underdogs again this campaign.

United's victory against Chelsea in mid-week restored a semblance of hope at the club, though this optimism was punctured following the latest surprise setback.

The shock result and Fernandes' one-game suspension piled the pressure on boss Erik ten Hag

Philip Billing (left) and Dominic Solanke (right) were on target for the visitors at Old Trafford

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Post-match, Fernandes took aim at United's lack of consistency.

'We lacked many things and that's why we don't get the result today,' he said.

'Everything was lower than the levels in the game before and that's why when you play teams like Bournemouth, who are really aggressive, they press you, and you think it's going to be easy, you get these kind of results.

'Everything was underperforming. Creativity, movement and arriving with bodies into the box. Most of the time we arrived with one or two, but in the last game we had more getting in the box.

'Today, it was underperforming. We lack consistency and that's a big part of football. It's really important to be consistent every game and we're not.'

Fernandes' petulant booking came in light of Mail Sport's major 'Stop Abusing Referees' campaign.