Manchester United ‘need more Brunos’, says Ruben Amorim after fine Fernandes free kick
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MANCHESTER – Manchester United need more players of the quality and character of captain Bruno Fernandes, said manager Ruben Amorim after the Portuguese midfielder’s stunning free kick in the 1-1 English Premier League draw with Arsenal on March 9.
Fernandes has faced criticism for his leadership in recent weeks, with former United skipper Roy Keane labelling him an “imposter”. However, amid another dreadful season for the Red Devils, the 30-year-old has repeatedly been a rare source of inspiration.
His brilliant strike on the stroke of half-time at Old Trafford was his 12th goal of the season. United’s second-highest goalscorer is the injured Amad Diallo on nine. Fernandes, who joined the club in January 2020, now has 109 goal contributions in the Premier League.
“That we need more Brunos? That is clear,” said Amorim.
“Not just the quality, the character that he has. The availability in this league, which is so important, and is so decisive with the ball and without the ball.”
Not for the first time during Amorim’s first troubled months in charge, his side proved a match when faced with stronger opponents.
United drew at runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool in January, eliminated Arsenal from the FA Cup and beat Manchester City away earlier in the season.
However, they have routinely struggled in matches they are expected to win and find themselves down in 14th spot in the table.
Despite playing at home, Amorim’s men had just over 30 per cent possession and he made it clear he does not want to play a defensive style.
“In the future, I want to play a different (type of) football. To spend more time attacking with the ball in the last third than defending in the low block,” the 40-year-old Portuguese added.
“The spirit, to follow the plan, to be together, that is a good thing.”
Amorim also said United fans deserve better from the team after the day started with a protest from several thousand supporters outside Old Trafford.
The supporters, most of them dressed in black, marched to the stadium in protest at the club’s ownership, which has been criticised for the team’s poor performance on the pitch, plus rising ticket prices and job losses.
They chanted and carried banners, one of them reading: “Love United, Hate Glazers”, in reference to United’s American owners the Glazer family. Coordinated by fan organisation The 1958, the protest marked just over a year since British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe struck a deal to buy a 25 per cent stake in the club.
“This club will never die, that is clear. You feel it in the streets. This is a big business and maybe all the fans in this league sometimes feel it is harder to go to the games and pay for tickets,” Amorim said.
“We want to give them a lot of effort. In the future, we will not play like that.”
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes going close as Arsenal’s William Saliba and David Raya defend.
PHOTO: REUTERS
On the pitch, Declan Rice’s strike 16 minutes from time at least salvaged a point for Arsenal and prevented the Gunners from failing to score in three consecutive Premier League games. But their challenge for the title appears over as Liverpool (70 points) sit 15 points clear.
Even if Arsenal win their remaining 10 games, Liverpool would need just 16 points from their last nine to secure the title.
“I don’t want to say that (the title race is over), but today the frustration is that we haven’t won our game,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
“We know the urgency, we are obligated to win every single match and, if we have any chance of doing that, I don’t think it’s the right moment to talk about it.”
But for a brilliant late double save from David Raya to deny Fernandes and a last-ditch challenge from Rice on Rasmus Hojlund, Arsenal would have fallen to defeat.
Arteta was annoyed at how his side played after getting back level when the three points seemed there for the taking.
“We scored the goal and, when my feeling was that they were very tired because they could not get out, we opened the door for them to maybe win the game,” added the Spaniard, who turns 43 in just over two weeks.
“Very basic things done really poorly and, even though we had three big chances, the reality is that David saved us and in the last chance we could have lost the game.” AFP, REUTERS
