Ruben Amorim comes out in support of captain Bruno Fernandes after Fulham hold Manchester United to a draw
Manchester United’s new season are in trouble just like the last one ended. A 1-0 loss in the opening match against Arsenal kicked off the season on a bad note, and now the second match against Fulham also did not turn into a win. This match, played at Craven Cottage, was full of ups and downs.
In the first half, Matheus Cunha hit the post, but Bruno Fernandes had a golden opportunity to give the team the lead. However, his penalty miss cost United the lead. In the second half, Leny Yoro’s header hit Rodrigo Muniz’s body and the ball went into the goal, and United went ahead. However, Fulham did not give up, and substitute Emile Smith Rowe equalised from Alex Iwobi’s cross. Eventually, the match ended at 1-1, and we again missed out on getting three points.
Ruben Amorim’s reaction and Bruno Fernandes’ miss
After the match, Ruben Amorim spoke openly about Bruno Fernandes’ penalty miss. He said Fernandes is usually reliable in penalties and rarely misses. According to Amorim, the importance of this opportunity was huge, and the captain himself knew that it would affect the whole team.
Ruben Amorim spoke on Bruno Fernandes' penalty miss, said the responsibility of the captain and his impact on the team is important.
Ruben Amorim spoke on Bruno Fernandes’ penalty miss, said the responsibility of the captain and his impact on the team is important.
Amorim also indicated that Fernandes was not able to get involved much in the game, and this increased his disappointment. The manager admitted that the responsibility of a captain is heavy, and Fernandes felt that this mistake kept the team away from victory. An experienced penalty taker like the 30-year-old midfielder is expected to withstand pressure, but this time luck and confidence were not on his side.
Amorim’s words clearly showed that he has retained faith in Fernandes, but at the same time, he also expressed that such a mistake can break the team’s morale. Amorim believed that Fernandes himself was considering this mistake as a big one, and that is why he did not feel comfortable on the field. (Via BBC Live Blog).
“I think he is not used to missing penalties. He knows the importance that this moment can have [and make a] huge impact on the team. During the game, he was not happy because he was not involved, and he had so much responsibility, and I think he thought missing the penalty was huge for us.”
Should trusting Bruno Fernandes be reconsidered?
The question arises whether Fernandes’ miss was just a moment of weakness or is it a sign of a bigger issue with his game. His body language in recent matches and Amorim’s comments suggest that he is not as influential as he once was. It is true that the 30-year-old’s penalty miss has sapped the team’s energy and ended their chances of victory.
At a time when United desperately need confidence, the captain’s struggles could affect the team. There is also the question of whether the club should now assign penalty responsibility to another player, such as Matheus Cunha or Bryan Mbeumo. Fernandes has long been trusted, but Amorim’s words suggest that the pressure can break him from within.
Now, United should share the responsibility so that the team can stand strong in critical moments. Meanwhile, it could also be a signal that some outside rumours are also influencing his performances. Reports emerged yet again that Al-Ittihad remain keen on Bruno. So, the United captain has to elevate his level of performance if the team need to get back on the right track. In some other news, Manchester United have offered Rasmus Hojlund to Bayern Munich.