Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes had his X account hacked shortly after the team's 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford. The 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder played the full match as United exited the competition at the first hurdle.
The hacker posted a series of bizarre messages, including 'Join Macclesfield FC' and 'Let's get rid of INEOS,' referencing the company co-owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. United fans had protested against Ratcliffe during and after the match. The account also shared derogatory remarks about footballer Alisha Lehmann, social media star KSI, and pornographic actress Bonnie Blue.
Manchester United issued a statement shortly after 11:30pm, saying: 'Bruno Fernandes's X account has been hacked. Supporters should not engage with any of the posts or direct messages.' However, the hacker continued to post, replying to the club's statement with expletives and further messages, including challenges to darts player Luke Littler and comments about Anthony Joshua and the England cricket team's Ashes defeat.
All posts have since been deleted, though two reposts remained as of 6am Monday. The defeat means United will play only 40 games this season, their fewest since the 1914-15 campaign interrupted by World War I. Caretaker manager Darren Fletcher challenged the players to 'dig in' and show they want to be part of the club's future.
