{
  "id": 14880532,
  "title": "“On his back”: Former Man United midfielder Ander Herrera speaks out in support of under-fire star",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/on-his-back-former-man-united-midfielder-ander-herrera-speaks-out-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-16T05:35:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/back-former-man-united-midfielder-053500558.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has defended captain Bruno Fernandes, speaking highly of his leadership and contributions to the club. Herrera, who played for United from 2014 to 2019, spoke on Rio Ferdinand's show, praising Fernandes as a leader who has carried the history of the club on his shoulders.\n\nHerrera highlighted Fernandes' performance last season, notably breaking the Premier League assist record with 21 assists. He emphasized that Fernandes has been a solution for the team during difficult times, often putting his face forward to score goals and assist, as well as speaking to the media after losses.\n\nDespite Fernandes' recent struggles, Herrera expressed his immense respect for the player, crediting him for remaining with the club during tough moments. Herrera's admiration for Fernandes was so strong that he questioned why the player would be considered the problem.\n\nThe midfielder also shared that the club's treatment of him towards the end of his contract had deeply saddened him. He revealed that when United sent him a letter informing him of the automatic renewal of his fifth season without a call, it broke his heart. Herrera had hoped to stay longer and remained at the club for three years before leaving in 2019.",
  "summary": "Former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has spoken out in support of captain Bruno Fernandes.Herrera United careerThe Spaniard joined the Red Devils in 2014 from Athletic Club.He spent five ...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}