Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United's influential midfielder, expressed satisfaction with teammate Joshua Zirkzee's critical performance, which secured a vital penalty victory for the team, keeping them in the tournament. Reflecting on Manchester United's current form, Fernandes emphasized that their fate hinges not only on their rivals but also on their performance against every team they face. He stressed the importance of maintaining focus, as even a brief lapse of concentration could prove costly in the Premier League.
Fernandes underscored the psychological elements as pivotal in explaining Manchester United's performances. Despite maintaining consistent strategies, the team now faces a significant opportunity to redefine how they are perceived. Carlos, the assistant manager, advised Fernandes on the necessity for greater ambition to make penetrating runs into the box. Under pressure, teammate Josh stepped up to secure a crucial win for Manchester United, demonstrating the team's resilience and mental strength—a sentiment echoed by Licha Martinez.
At the start of the year, Manchester United found themselves just seven points above the relegation zone, marking their worst league position since 1989. However, Fernandes believes the team's steadfast belief and desire to improve are crucial factors in their recent upturn. Through diligent work on their system and effort, they have begun to see positive results.
After an exhausting game against Arsenal, Fernandes expressed pride in his team's performance. Their resilience against both Liverpool and Arsenal served as a testament to their hard work and dedication. Nevertheless, Fernandes insists that Manchester United must score more goals, confident that they possess players capable of doing so.
The team's upcoming match against Southampton presents a significant challenge. Fernandes warns his teammates not to lose focus, even for five seconds, as they strive for continued improvement.
"It's really easy when you don't get results, when you don't get the performance that you start losing belief on everything you've been doing," Bruno Fernandes reflected. Despite facing challenges, Fernandes commended the team's unyielding belief in their training and strategic goals.
"But I think that was one of the good things we had as a team—we kept the belief on what we are doing, on what we've been training and where we want to go as a team, where the staff wants us to go as a team, what we want to improve as a team," he added.
Fernandes acknowledged the external pressure for tactical changes but maintained confidence in their current setup.
"And that is what is giving us now some more credit because we've been doing the same things that people probably will think like, 'oh, the manager has to change this back three or back five, it doesn't work. We need to go back four. We need one more striker,'" Fernandes explained.
Despite calls for changes, Fernandes emphasized the potential within the squad.
"So we have a lot of players that have the capability of scoring goals," he noted.
The assistant manager Carlos's guidance before a match highlighted areas for improvement.
"Like yesterday, Carlos came to talk with me—the assistant of the manager before the game—telling me that we need more desire to run into the box, to make the run, to get in there," Fernandes recounted.
The advice proved instrumental in a recent game.
"And the goal comes a little bit from that," he remarked.
Fernandes described a pivotal moment involving his teammates.
"Garnacho recovers the ball, then Diogo jumps, then Garna gets the ball from Gabriel," Fernandes detailed.
Recognizing an opportunity, Fernandes emphasized quick action.
"And in my mind was just like, 'just run as quick as you can to get into the box because you know Garna is quick and is going to get there before you,'" he explained.
"So you need to run as fast as you can because you need to score," he added.
Fernandes highlighted this as an area for further development under managerial guidance.
"And this is something that the manager wants us to improve," he stated.
Manchester United's journey continues as they strive for more goals.
"And I think we have a lot to improve because we have so much quality in our team to score more goals than what we've been showing," Fernandes concluded.
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