The Telegraph
Bruno Fernandes must compete against Manchester United against the top six
Thirteen years ago there was another big game in London that ended with a goal for Manchester United. At the touchline, manager Sir Alex Ferguson claimed the entire second half of his team attack, often recklessly, and then threw down a beanie hat he was wearing during the final whistle after they failed to make the breakthrough. The United who moved to Tottenham Hotspur were then very different from the United who achieved the same result against Chelsea on Sunday, and although the current manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, will rightly argue that he is part of a long and difficult rebuilding process, there is still a precious commodity missing: a belief that they can win the big games if it really matters. Solskjaer’s record against the rest of the “Big Six” was good before this season, when United could often bleed the noses of those in front of them as they scrambled to return to the top four and even the role of underdog played successfully. But the disciplinary 6-1 defeat earlier in this campaign at home by Tottenham Hotspur seems to scare them. Since then, United have played six times against the Big Six in the Premier League and have not even scored a goal. Although they have only lost one of the matches – at home against Arsenal – a change of mentality must take place if they want to be at the top again. In fact, their only goal was a penalty kick from Bruno Fernandes in that disciplinary defeat by Spurs. In the final quarter against Chelsea, it felt as if all the urgency of the home side was coming and that Solskjaer’s promise that United would continue to try and chase Manchester City was for public use only. Privately, it seemed he was more than happy to try and secure second place, during a weekend when Leicester City lost, and to keep Chelsea out of the Champions League qualifiers. “We did not have the quality at the end,” Solskjaer said, and it was a fair recognition, even if he also pointed to a breakaway near the final whistle when United were able to secure the victory. It would have been difficult for Chelsea, whose head coach, Thomas Tuchel, appears to be showing more positive intentions with his changes. While Tuchel changed staff and formation, Solskjaer made just one replacement: Anthony Martial for Mason Greenwood in a similar replacement. “You’re at Manchester United to win games,” said Solskjaer’s former team-mate Roy Keane from his chair, although it is also acknowledged that the United States has a different ‘mindset’, where the fear of losing seems to transgress impulse to try to win. It certainly is not – nor at least not yet – a United Ferguson would admit. Maybe it’s hard for them. Solskjaer finished United in second place, which no one would have predicted at the start of this season, although a look at the matches suggests he still needs to be careful. After Crystal Palace left in the middle of the week, it is Manchester City, West Ham at home with a draw in the Europa League against AC Milan. So it was a chance to open a gap, to give themselves some space, but they were not brave enough to take it. So there are big games going on and it will take a big game approach to win. One of the legitimate concerns surrounding United – which is sacred to many of their fans – is whether Fernandes is doing enough in these encounters and whether they miss the injured Paul Pogba very much. Fernandes did not impose himself against Chelsea, even though United extended their run to 20 league games unbeaten. Maybe it was the presence of the relentless N’Golo Kante against him, or maybe it was his overzealousness to impress, but passes were too many and teammates snapped quickly when he showed his frustration. The fact is, however, that the Portuguese talisman is unlikely to have a quieter game all season. Or so he will hope. He only created one chance, he lost possession 20 times, he was dribbled four times. In honesty for Fernandes, it is clear, as City proved in the semi-final of the League Cup between the two parties, that if he is stopped, then United will be stopped. It is therefore up to others to act and offer greater support to him. With that said, world-class players are finding a way and Fernandes can do something impressive next weekend with an impressive performance in the Etihad to stop this debate from developing. Maybe it would have been all different if United and Fernandes had been awarded the penalty kick of the first half that they were so determined they had to get. It possibly developed into a different game, though the most appropriate summary came from United left-back Luke Shaw, who was asked his mind. ‘Oh, do not know … we were both maybe safe [in the way we played], “he said. It’s true. But it’s not the United way either.