'How can he lead?' - Erik ten Hag urged to strip Bruno Fernandes of Man Utd captaincy as former Premier League boss warns it's 'dangerous' to keep armband on Portuguese star

Pardew believes that Fernandes simply does not have the ability to lead the team because he is too "technical", and can have off days in which he struggles to impact games. United were thumped 3-0 by Liverpool at Old Trafford, and the former Newcastle boss believes Fernandes should not be given the responsibility to captain the club.

Pardew has urged Ten Hag to make a bold decision and strip the Portugal international of the armband as United look to bounce back from their Reds loss, as he believes it would effectively free Fernandes up to be focus more on his game.

Pardew told talkSPORT: "You've got your skipper out there, you've got a technical skipper, when you've got a technician as a skipper, I think it's always dangerous because they're going to have off games. Even [Christian] Eriksen in his prime, [Michel] Platini in his prime, they'd have the off day. They were technical players."

He added: "[Against Liverpool], it was never Fernandes because [United] never had the ball enough. Defensively, he's not been called upon. How can he lead the team? It's a very difficult one for him.

"I actually think it would be better for him as a footballer to take it off him. I think it might free him up a bit, let him be a bit more free-minded. He's probably worrying about the back four, worrying about the wingers. You don't really know how to deal with it.

"I don't know, I think it's a hamper to him."

After the international break, United return to action against Southampton on September 14. They are currently 14th in the Premier League table.