'A lot of people have suffered' - Bruno Fernandes makes pointed comment on Sir Jim Ratcliffe & INEOS' Man Utd cost-cutting after Everton pre-season draw

Manchester United have undergone a major off-field restructuring under new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with INEOS overseeing more than 450 job cuts since assuming control. The latest round, involving 200 redundancies, was implemented at the end of last season. The changes affected long-serving staff, including members of the senior leadership team. Red Devils captain Fernandes has urged his squad to raise their standards in honour of the staff who have been sacrificed for the betterment of the club.

Speaking to NBC Sports after United's 2-2 draw with Everton, Fernandes said [h/t SkySports]: "Every small thing matters. At this football club, you cannot do anything wrong on or off the pitch because it is too big worldwide, and you get punished for that.

"You get the attention of the media, the attention from the fans, and you have to be aware of that. The culture of this club was winning. We need to bring that back.

"It's not only the winning mentality that we need, but it is other things too that the club are trying to improve, like the facilities, the team, the staff and a lot of other things. A lot of people have suffered from this, and now it is time for us players to show it on the pitch."

Manager Ruben Amorim welcomed his captain’s sense of accountability. “I think I’m happy for the players to have that feeling," he noted. Amorim added: "It’s saying that they understand the situation. So, it’s a good feeling. I think the momentum of the tour was perfect. We had the weeks to work in a good environment, good feeling, and then we go back to Carrington and we are near to start the season. We are going with the feeling that we need to do a lot of things [better].”

The Red Devils will now return to Carrington to finalise preparations for the upcoming season. A final pre-season clash with Fiorentina awaits before they open their Premier League campaign against Arsenal. With the club reshaped behind the scenes, pressure is growing on the players to deliver results.