Bruno Fernandes shows true colours as Man Utd captain responds to critics

Bruno Fernandes heads into Sunday's derby vowing he will never alter his fiery approach - regardless of the backlash it generates. The Manchester United captain has faced fierce criticism for his emotional displays, with numerous detractors arguing he is unsuitable to lead the club because of his temperament.

However, the 31-year-old midfielder confessed he cannot transform people's perceptions of him and declared he will not change his playing style simply due to external criticism. "People have an opinion about me and I can't change that," said Fernandes. "It's the way people want to judge you about what they see on most of the people, what they see on the pitch, some of them, what they see on the television, some of them what they see on interviews."

"You know, I can't change that. They have the freedom to think the way they want about me, as I have the same freedom to think about them. But what I don't do is I don't judge people until I know them. They can. They can have an opinion about me and that's fine.

"We all have opinions, different opinions, that's why life is so good and so different, because if we all think the same way, it will be so boring."

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When questioned about how his loved ones would characterise him, Fernandes told BBC Sport: "Very passionate about everything he does. Just that I and everything I include myself. I just like to go with myself at full, because I don't like to do things by half. Football was the main thing. I always wanted to go full for it.

"In everything, what you see on the pitch is, is what Bruno is like. The passion I put on everything and then obviously much calmer off the pitch.

"I don't have the emotions on the skin as much as I have on the pitch, but I'm still very passionate in everything he does."