Man United brought the curtain down on the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
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Bruno Fernandes conducts a post-match TV interview.
Bruno Fernandes offered an honest post-match verdict.(Image: MUTV.)
Bruno Fernandes admitted Manchester United were able to turn on the style because of a lack of pressure following their 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
United brought the curtain down on what has been a wretched 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a thoroughly deserved victory over the Midlands outfit, who played more than a half with ten men after goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sent-off shortly before the break.
United, who dominated throughout, got the points their performance deserved via second half goals from Amad and Christian Eriksen, who stepped off the bench to dispatch a penalty on his United farewell.
Although a winning conclusion to the season did little to lift the general mood around the club after such a miserable campaign, United's performance was worthy of credit.
"Obviously, I think more than the win is the performance that we put in," the United captain told MUTV. "You could see the team playing football with a great personality, showing off all the qualities we have, all the things that we have been improving during the season.
"That was easy today to do that because there was no pressure on ourselves. We were not playing for anything in this game in particular.
"Obviously, we were playing to give a different message and a different image of what we have been doing during this campaign. I think we played very well.
"We created a lot of chances and could and should have scored in the first half, but we didn't. In the second half we got our two goals and that is amazing for the way we finished the season.
"But more important is the way we're going to start the next one."
Bruno Fernandes gives the ball to Christian Eriksen to take Manchester United's penalty.
Bruno Fernandes gave Christian Eriksen (right) the chance to sign off with a goal.
Impressed by the team performance he contributed to, Fernandes added: "When you play with a little bit more freedom, most of the things come through. Movement-wise, you want more of the ball, everyone is showing for the ball.
"We tried different things. I saw a lot of players trying their chance to get a shot, where in the past few games they tried to go for the easy way and pass backwards or whatever.
"We were on the front foot. Pressing-wise, we were sometimes man-marking against a team that has very powerful players to hold the ball and run off.
"We did very well. But as I have said, we need and we want to do this more often. It is difficult, we know this club demands a lot, there is a lot of pressure, but everyone who plays for this club has to deal with those demands and understand that our aim is to play under pressure every game."