Glow in the eyes, Bruno Fernandes happy on the pitch, while another Portuguese left before the final whistle.
If Manchester United was all about an individual, it’s different now.
For the first time, the world saw the Erik ten Hag collection from the best side.
“We lost 3-2 last season, but we lost to Ronaldo. Not united.”
Antonio Conte spent a minute of his pre-meeting press conference at Old Trafford talking about the Portuguese. The coach was not exaggerating, Cristiano Ronaldo He stepped up last spring when his team needed him most. Now the 37-year-old is mostly on the bench, and based on what the crowd got on Wednesday night, there was no reason to contest Erik ten Hag’s decision.
This was another Manchester UnitedA team that does not depend on a single individual. With their eyes fixed on the front, the Reds played the ball through Tottenham’s three-man midfield (Bruno Fernandes dropped it through his legs at one point, bluffing two opponents in one pass) and set up camp outside the attacking penalty area.
Everything but the goals
A total of 19 goals indicated that United did everything right except for goals in the first half. Sometimes the team loses momentum, passing the ball from one side of the penalty area to the other due to lack of imagination.
Perhaps it was because wingers Jadon Sancho and Anthony are relatively similar (maybe very similar) in that they both like to have the ball at their feet, and then break them inside the fairway. Marcus Rashford, who played nine players, is often preferred to the left because of his explosiveness and spirited sprinting behind the line of defense. Now the attacking game has become flat at times, dropping a flurry of long-range shots on goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
So, it was almost funny that Fred’s harmless finish so soon after the break fell to the back of the net. With the good help of Tottenham centre-back Ben Davies, he should be added.
World Class by Fernandez
Bruno Fernandez’s extension was even more beautiful. Harry Kane, from an offside position, received the ball and forced goalkeeper David de Gea to stretch. Simon Hooper, who was officiating the biggest game of his career to date, ignored the assistant referee’s flag and allowed Manchester United to quickly turn the game around. Fernandez is a wonderful character, sometimes unbearably frustrating, but often pure world class. The 2-0 goal, a shot on the far post, definitely belongs to the latter category.
While Bruno Fernandes celebrated with his teammates, he couldn’t Premier Leagues The best scorer of all time, Alan Shearer, does not move fate. Doesn’t Fernandes look much better with Ronaldo on the bench? It’s not a new theory, the fact is that Fernandes’ two goals this season came when his compatriot wasn’t on the field.
But this evening is not about Bruno Fernandes or Cristiano Ronaldo, but about the group themselves (Diogo Dalot is another Portuguese worth raising). For the first time, the world saw Eric Ten Hag’s Manchester United squad at their best against a major club. A great team, not a great individual.