Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany was reportedly dropped after a half-time bust-up with team-mate Fernandinho during the side’s 2-1 loss to Liverpool.
The Belgian defender sat out of City’s recent win over Leicester, with Darren Lewis of the Mirror suggesting this was due to the player suffering a “meltdown” in the Anfield dressing room. Team-mates allegedly feared the exchange “would come to blows” when Fernandinho criticised Kompany’s role in Jordan Henderson’s opening goal.
Lewis provides detail:
In the dressing room, Kompany was blasted by midfielder Fernandinho, who told him to pay more attention and to buck up his ideas for the second half. Kompany, however, insisted the Brazilian could not tell him what to do. The two are then said to have argued so furiously that others stepped in, fearing things would get out of hand.
It is suggested City boss Manuel Pellegrini “sided with Fernandinho,” telling Kompany the midfielder was “only trying to help,” per Lewis’ report. This is said to have increased the centre-back’s anger, with Lewis’ article claiming “he continued his tirade and rounded on anyone who challenged him.”
Belgian journalist Kristof Terreur tweeted the Mirror’s backpage, while pointing toward Kompany’s usually good-natured reputation:
