Bruno Fernandes and Antony shine as United move on from horror of Anfield
BACK IN BUSINESS: Bruno Fernandes heads home United's third goal. Picture: Tim Goode/PA
Bruno Fernandes and Antony, two Manchester United players who will forever be associated with the nightmare at Anfield, started the process of their rehabilitation with match-winning contributions at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
Their displays were a key component in Erik ten Hag’s team recording an impressive win in a tricky last 16 first leg Europa League tie, in their first taste of action since their thrashing by Liverpool.
After Betis had equalised Marcus Rashford’s opening goal, United struck two goals in six minutes before the hour mark to take control of the tie.
And Fernandes and Antony, two of the biggest contributors to that shameful 7-0 defeat at Anfield on Sunday, were instrumental in a victory that went a small way — a very small way — to atoning for the joint-worst defeat in club history.
After 52 minutes, Fernandes gathered the ball in midfield, spun intelligently, and found Antony on the right, with the winger cutting onto his favoured left foot and curling a brilliant finish into the top corner.
Old Trafford, so desperate to get over the nightmarish visions of Sunday, celebrated with as much relief as anything, and did not have to wait long for another goal.
This time it came from a corner, taken by Luke Shaw on the left and met by the unmarked Fernandes who headed an unstoppable finish into the Betis goal, via a touch off keeper Claudio Bravo.
The reaction of the United captain, and the United supporters who celebrated the goal, certainly indicated that while fans will never forget that dark day on Merseyside, they have at least already forgiven their players for it.
And better was to come, after 82 minutes, when Facundo Pellistri’s cross set up Scott McTominay for a shot that was blocked before Wout Weghorst turned in the rebound from six yards.
The horror of Sunday’s events at Anfield will linger long in the memories of those United folk who witnessed it.
But at least Ten Hag’s decision to name an unchanged starting XI, and give those culprits the chance to atone for that appalling display, took just five minutes to pay dividends.
It had been a composed, but committed, opening from United, and from Fernandes as much as anyone as the captain, widely ridiculed for his performance against Anfield, looked disciplined and inspirational.
He had already set up one counter-attack, which ended with the ball bundled over the line by Weghorst, although Fred had been flagged a split second earlier for being obviously offside.
But, in the sixth minute, Fernandes sprinted forward again and his ball into the area was badly dealt with by Luiz Felipe who simply turned the ball directly to Rashford.
The in-form England striker took a touch and then deposited an unstoppable shot into the roof of former Manchester City goalkeeper Bravo’s net.
So far, so good, although moments before that it had taken a strong piece of defending from Lisandro Martinez to clear the danger caused by a poor Diogo Dalot back-pass and almost disastrous attempted headed clearance by David de Gea.
But if that moment brought back memories of the carnage at Anfield, there was a flashback to come just after the half-hour when Betis equalised through on-loan Leicester forward Ayoze Perez.
After Casemiro lost possession, impressive winger Juanmi showed great touch and vision to control the ball outside the area, and chip a pass wide for Perez to drill a blinding low half-volley into the bottom corner of de Gea’s goal.
It was a goal that made United pay for their failure to have scored more than once during their spells of first half pressure.
Weghorst should have helped his team return to form, missing three decent first half chances, two of them shots from no more than six yards from which he failed to hit the target while Bravo saved well twice from Rashford.
But, before the break, United could have been further behind after another poor piece of distribution from de Gea, who cleared directly to Juanmi. A slick pass to Perez saw the striker’s shot deflect off Shaw and hit the post.
The tie switched with those two second half goals and there could have been more, soon after, as Antony and Fernandes played a neat one-two into the Betis area and the former chipped over.
There was also a booking for Fernandes, for sliding in late on Bravo and, although the incident briefly threatened to escalate, the captain regained his composure to ensure he was not embroiled in further trouble.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
