Bruno Fernandes has faced a lot of criticism.
An easy target for a team that has simply struggled far too much this season. He’s been accused of being too moody and too petulant to be a Manchester United captain.
But this was a performance to prove he’s a leader so many claim he is not. This was a display to show why United and INEOS simply have to do what it takes to keep the Portuguese man happy. This was a game from a player who deserves to be playing for such a better team.
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Fernandes penned an open letter this week declaring his adoration for everything about United. But in there was a clear message to the club that they must match his ambitions.
It was a gauntlet laid down to bring this squad up to the level to match him or he will have to go elsewhere. A lot of United fans couldn’t blame him if he asked to move on. They’d be devastated but would understand.
Who did you think was man of the match for Manchester United at Wembley? Let us know in the comments section below.
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At 29, he’s coming close to passing his peak. This is a player who should be playing in a team collecting more than the odd trophy.
His performance at Wembley showed just that. With and without the ball, he was terrific. When Manchester City pinged the ball about, it was the Portuguese who was orchestrating the defence from the very front.
In a bold move, Erik ten Hag put him in as the false nine with Rasmus Hojlund on the bench. It paid off.
Fernandes hassled and harried when United were letting City have the ball but making sure there were no gaps for Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions to find. He was putting pressure on the City defence and keeper Stefan Ortega. That almost led to an early mix up between the City stand-in stopper and his defence.
It was Alejandro Garnacho who was shrewd for the opener as he anticipated Josko Gvardiol’s misplaced header over his own keeper and tapped home. But the second was all about the brilliance of United. Marcus Rashford’s pass to switch the play to Garnacho was superb.
Garnacho then calmly cut inside before sliding it to Fernandes. Then the magic happened. Fernandes had caught Kobbie Mainoo out of the corner of his eye and played an instinctive first-time pass with his boot wrapped around the ball.
Mainoo did the rest. It wasn’t an easy finish but it was all about the set up. United can be buoyed by two teenagers scoring for the first time in an FA Cup final.
Ten Hag said before the game in the programme that no matter what happened in the match there is a bright future ahead for this team. Whether he gets the chance to be there to see them grow remains to be seen.
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The goalscorers and the likes of Hojlund means there is a foundation of youth for whoever is the United manager next season. But they simply must build a team around Fernandes. And make it one good enough for him to win consistently.
It was Fernandes who continued to bark orders to his team-mates as the City machine started to click into gear in the second half. He continued, tirelessly, to point and guide those around him. So often a hot headed, he was trying to keep everyone’s head cool.
City scored, United started to panic. He was shouting at those around him to calm down. They weren’t heeding his guidance. The introduction of Hojlund saw him out to the left.
For a moment he lost his own cool. Taking a shot from distance with Ortega off his line. It gave City the ball back when United needed to hold it.
Give him that moment of madness. For the rest of it he was simply superb. He led the celebrations like he led his team throughout.
Mainoo got the official man of the match but Fernandes was the reason United have ended an utterly dreadful season in the league with an FA Cup.
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