Fernandes brace helps United to victory over Blades
AT THE DOUBLE: Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates. Pic: Martin Rickett, PA Wire.
Bruno Fernandes was on the mark twice as, not for the first time in this season that has bordered on the disastrous for a dysfunctional Manchester United, he came to the rescue of his beleaguered manager Erik ten Hag.
Twice the visitors led, through Jayden Bogle and Ben Brereton Diaz, and twice United had to claw their way back, via Harry Maguire and a Fernandes penalty.
But as they appeared to be stalling towards a potentially embarrassing point, United were rescued by Fernandes who found space on 80 minute before delivering an unstoppable 20-yard strike into the Sheffield goal.
Five minutes later, as the visitors pressed for a third goal, Fernandes crossed for Rasmus Hojlund and the Danish international converted from inside the six yard-box. United, for the first time all night, could breathe easily.
Ten Hag had spent the build-up to the game berating media for their coverage of his team’s unimpressive FA Cup semi-final victory over Championship side Coventry on Sunday, labelling the criticism “embarrassing” and a “disgrace.”
It was an odd response from the Dutchman, especially given the furious reaction from United fans on the day to the way his side threw away a three-goal lead and, possibly, a sign of the pressure mounting on his position.
The opening hour at Old Trafford will have done little to improve his mood as United, despite enjoying a glut of possession and pressure against one of the worst teams in Premier League history, somehow contrived to twice gift the lead to the visitors.
Both times, the manner in which ten Hag’s defence conceded the goals was, to echo the phrase of the week, an “embarrassment" and “disgrace.”
It took United 34 minutes to show ten Hag the true meaning of the words when they gifted Bogle an opening goal that was entirely self-inflicted, with goalkeeper Andre Onana under little pressure as he mishit a simple pass out to the wing, to full-back Diogo Dalot.
Bogle pounced on the ball and advanced unchallenged before firing an impressive finish inside the keeper and in at his near-post.
When United finally converted one of their chances, on 42 minutes, it appeared that Chris Wilder’s team would go down without a fight.
A Fernandes free-kick was half cleared and Alejandro Garnacho played an accurate cross back into the area. There was Maguire to glance a brilliant header into the far corner, leaving Wes Foderingham rooted to the spot.
It was tough luck on the Blades’ keeper who had been brilliant to that point in keeping United at bay as ten Hag’s side continued their stuttering bid to secure European football next season.
His long and impressive catalogue of saves featured two particularly good diving stops to deny Garnacho, but this was another underwhelming evening for ten Hag, as he seeks to avoid a worst-ever Premier League finish - the seventh place recorded by David Moyes a decade ago.
And it was about to get worse, just four minutes into the second half, when a team that manager Chris Wilder admitted after a home weekend defeat to Burnley is all but relegated, re-gained the lead.
Sheffield weaved pretty patterns through a static United defence with Gustavo Hamer playing a killer pass wide to Ben Osborn on the left. He produced an even better ball, spying Brereton Diaz, somehow unmarked seven yards out, and the Chile international slid in to finish.
What a stunner, especially, one assumes, for Jason Wilcox, United’s newly-appointed technical director, who was watching from the Old Trafford directors’ box, for the first time since his appointment was confirmed last week.
And while United’s vast injury issues have been well documented - as they should have been, given how often ten Hag reaches for them as an excuse - this performance will have made sobering viewing for the Dutchman’s new boss.
Short-term at least, crisis was averted on 61 minutes, in bizarre fashion after Dalot appeared to have scrambled the ball over the line after a furious melee following a United corner.
In the mix, referee Michael Salisbury had spotted Austin Trusty pulling on Maguire’s shirt and had already whistled for a penalty by the time the ball crossed the line. Fernandes duly obliged with the equalising spot kick.
Onana 5; Wan-Bissaka 5, Casemiro 5, Maguire 7, Dalot 6; Eriksen 5 (McTominay 64, 6), Mainoo 7 (Amrabat 90); Antony 5 (Diallo 55, 5), Fernandes 9, Garnacho 7; Hojlund 6 (Wheatley 90).
Foderingham 8; Holgate 6, Ahmedhodzic 7, Trusty 6; Bogle 7 (Norwood 77, 5), Hamer 6, Arblaster 7, Osborn 8, Brooks 6 (Souza 45, 6); Brereton 7, Archer 6 (McAtee 62, 6; Osula 87).
M Salisbury 6
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
