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Manchester United were poor on the night but still ended up progressing through to the quarterfinals of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
The back four saw yet another reshuffle following news that Harry Maguire was not passed for the game. In came Sofyan Amrabat as the left-back while Victor Lindelof moved into the heart of the defence.
Up front, Marcus Rashford continued despite the less-than-stellar display against Fulham and it was no surprise to see him struggle again during the fifth round tie.
The striker’s body language is all wrong and he should learn a thing or two from skipper Bruno Fernandes, who was relentless despite not enjoying the best of games.
Bruno’s never-say-die attitude
The Portuguese has not sizzled in recent weeks but he has refused to shirk his responsibilities and it is his desire and work-rate that should serve as inspiration for his teammates.
He is indefatigable even when the chips are down and as Erik ten Hag pointed out, his captain was a doubt ahead of the game but he still pushed through and ended up making a telling contribution byu grabbing an assist for Casemiro’s 90th minute winner.
Rival fans constantly point at the former Sporting Lisbon star for his moaning while pundits have criticised his penchant for always complaining to the referee.
But it cannot be argued that the 29-year-old is one of the few world-class players on the United roster. He has made 220 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 71 times and providing 62 assists since his €65 million move in 2020.
His creative stats have consistently been right up there and he has played an integral role for all his United managers since his move and there is no chance the Red Devils move him on anytime soon.
But journalist Dean Jones suggested that with INEOS now on board, the style of football at the club could be about to change and that could see a lot of movement in the coming years.
Speculation was rife that Saudi clubs were prepared to pay handsomely for the Portugal international and while it was rejected instantaneously, the doors have not been closed completely.
“When you hear about all the changes that are going to be coming and how they want to build this team for 2,3,4 years time, I wonder if Bruno’s going to even be part of that.
Fernandes gone?
“So I’m not saying that imminently I would expect Bruno Fernandes to be leaving, but the more I look at this United team and the way it’s building out, the less I feel it’s necessary to rely on Bruno Fernandes.
“I think in the next year or so we’ll be hearing a lot of conversations about United moving on from him and finding new alternatives,” Jones told GIVEMESPORT.
Fernandes’ high-risk high-reward style might not suit the way the new sporting structure want to play and that might actually necessitate a change.
But there are very few managers who would turn down a player with so much quality and a strong work-ethic while practically always being injury-free.
Such reports can be taken with a hefty pinch of salt and despite what certain sections say on social media, United’s skipper should not be leaving any time soon.
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