Erik ten Hag leaps to the defence of attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes

Add as preferred source on Google

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has leapt to the defence of attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

The 28-year-old has one goal to his name this season and that proved to be the winner against Southampton back in August.

United’s number eight has registered two assists for Marcus Rashford from his 13 appearances across all competitions.

His first assist of the campaign was an eye of the needle through ball which carved Arsenal’s defence open, and his second was an inch-perfect long ball away to Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League.

From nine Premier League games this, the Red Devils have scored 13 goals and in his pre-match press conference ahead of tonight’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, Ten Hag was asked whether he had any concerns about his side’s goalscoring output.

Ten Hag leaps to the defence of Bruno Fernandes

The former Ajax manager was specifically asked whether he needed his midfielders, and Bruno in particular, to score more goals.

The Dutchman responded: “Yeah but I think Bruno is playing really good this season, so I can see in that fact, he can produce more goals, assists.

“But I think he’s often in the line of the goal and he’s playing a massive role in a lot of moments of football for us: in building up attacks, creativity, movement, but also in transitions, in both sides, in the defensive transitions he’s magnificent and doing a really good job so I’m really happy with his performances.”

Since Harry Maguire has been dropped following back-to-back defeats to start Ten Hag’s reign, Fernandes has worn the captain’s armband in the former Leicester City man’s absence.

Ten Hag has been impressed with Fernandes’ leadership qualities, and the Dutchman has no doubt that the goals and assists will come for our Portuguese Magnifico.

The 52-year-old added: “That’s also one of the things [he’s impressed me with], I think he’s really an example.

“The way he transfers the way of play from us, how he motivates around him, how he is the example, so the energy he gives to the team, that’s really good and so I’m happy with his performance.

“I know it will come, his goals and assists, and it will be even more.”