Bruno Fernandes celebrates after scoring for Manchester United
Bruno Fernandes celebrates after scoring for Manchester United
Sir Jim Ratcliffe may view some of Manchester United's players as overpaid and overrated, but when it comes to Bruno Fernandes he is simply irreplaceable.
United's captain, as he has done on so many occasions this season, came to his side's rescue on Thursday night to haul them into the Europa League quarter-finals and keep their campaign alive. Fernandes scored twice from the penalty spot and claimed his hat-trick late on, as United came from an early goal down to book a quarter-final clash with Lyon and maintain their hopes of Champions League football next term.
Booking a place at European football's top table next season will be worth around £100million to United, vital revenue for a club Ratcliffe claimed could have gone bust by Christmas. Without Fernandes and his indefatigable contribution in every game, it does not bear thinking about how much further in trouble crisis-hit United would find themselves in.
His double here made it 28 goal involvements in 43 matches in all competitions this season and 172nd across 276 games for United since his £47 million arrival from Sporting in January 2020, quite remarkable numbers given the Red Devils have been mired in mediocrity in that time.
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Amorim produced a shock with his team selection, handing 18-year-old defender Ayden Heaven, signed from Arsenal in the summer, his full debut. Although, given how well Heaven played when he came on at half-time in Sunday's 1-1 draw with the Gunners, perhaps it was not such a surprise, and the teenager duly vindicated his selection.
Sociedad started quickly and created two chances in the first five minutes, the second leading to a penalty for a challenge by Matthijs De Ligt on Mikel Oyarzabal, after a VAR review. There was no way Oyarzabal was getting to the ball first, but VAR Willy Delajod called ref Benoit Bastien to the monitor to review the incident, with the French official pointing to the spot.
Oyarzabal – who scored from the penalty spot in the first leg following another controversial VAR decision – stepped up to dispatch the ball past Andre Onana with calm assurance. Yet justice was served at the other end eight minutes later when United were awarded a penalty after Ramus Hojlund was bundled to the ground as he attempted to meet a Bruno Fernandes cross.
United fans called for Sociedad defender Igor Zubeldia to be shown a straight red but he escaped with a caution, Fernandes stepping up to convert from the spot to make it 1-1. Buoyed by that equaliser, United came agonisingly close to making it 2-1 on the half-hour, Joshua Zirkzee beating two men before steering the ball in for Hojlund, whose shot went inches wide.
Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring vs Man United
Five minutes before half-time, United tried a corner routine honed on the training ground, Fernandes picking out Patrick Dorgu on the edge of the area, his mis-hit volley sailing over. United were awarded a second penalty two minutes into the second-half when Patrick Dorgu was blocked by Artiz Elustondo, although the decision seemed generous again to say the least.
Fernandes once again showed his remarkable reliability from the spot, coolly rolling the ball past Alex Remiro, to put United 2-1 ahead on the night, 3-2 on aggregate.
The game was effectively won with another contentious decision in the 62nd minute when sub Jon Aramburu – who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes - was shown a straight red for a foul on Dorgu, who ostensibly would have been through on goal.
Fernandes made it 3-1 on the night and completed his hat-trick with a thumping finish three minutes from time.
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