Ruben Amorim could barely look when Bruno Fernandes took the decisive penalty for Manchester United
It was a nail-biter from the start at Old Trafford. Manchester United took the lead against Burnley but lost it time and again. Even after going ahead twice, Burnley equalised and when the score read 2-2, it looked like United would lose the game once again. The team had already suffered a humiliating defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup and had a poor start to the league. So it was a must-win game. In the final minutes, VAR caught a foul on Amad Diallo and then the real drama began. The pressure was now on Bruno Fernandes. His miss against Fulham last week was disappointing when he hit the penalty over the bar. He even said that he was distracted by colliding with the referee. The same situation was seen again against Burnley.
The 30-year-old was awarded a penalty in the seventh minute of injury time and the whole ground came to a standstill. This time Bruno kept his composure, kept his feet firm and put the ball in the bottom corner. The captain scored the goal with a cool head and United registered a dramatic 3-2 win.
Ruben Amorim’s condition was very critical before this victory. After losing to a lower league team like Grimsby Town, he was sitting in the dugout with his head bowed down. He even said that “something has to change” and hinted that he could also consider his future. When Bruno went to take a penalty in the Burnley match, Amorim refused to watch that moment and started looking towards the Stretford End. The 40-year-old later said that he just wanted to see the fans and he was sure that Bruno would not miss for the second time in a row. Amorim also admitted that United were the better team that day.
Ruben Amorim could barely look when Bruno Fernandes took the decisive penalty for Manchester United .
Amorim looked away as Bruno stepped up, trusting he wouldn’t miss again.
“I like to see the image of the fans. What has to be has to be. In that moment, I was thinking it would be fair to win the game – and I did not think Bruno would miss a second in a row.”
Quote via: The Daily Mail
Opinion:
This victory was more of a lesson than a relief. The pressure on Amorim was justified because the start was bad and the defeat against Grimsby Town deepened the wound. The win against Burnley has temporarily eased that pressure but the questions are far from over. Amorim’s 3-4-3 setup has been criticised repeatedly and it showed as the team failed to build leads.
Bruno Fernandes’ grit is commendable as he showed courage to lead the team to victory despite the failure against Fulham. It is his specialty to take responsibility in difficult times. Amorim said United were the better team, and that is true because Burnley may have had their chances but United showed more courage.
Bryan Mbeumo‘s support for Amorim is also an important aspect. When players and experts from outside show faith in the coach, it becomes a boost for him. Fans also have to accept that Amorim needs time. Despite the win, it is clear that United have to improve.
However, the manager actually wanted to divert the attention and could not take a heartbreak of another penalty miss, and hence he looked away. It is understandable given the pressure Amorim was in, and being a master of press-conferences, he subtly hid that with his statement.