With optimism growing at the start of another Premier League campaign, a repeat of Manchester United’s last Old Trafford clash with Fulham would go some way to destroying that pre-season positivity.
Marco Silva’s side stunned Erik ten Hag’s team back in February.
While Harry Maguire looked to have snatched a dramatic late point for Manchester United, Alex Iwobi then went down the other end and ensured that all three would be heading back to West London with 97 minutes on the clock.
Six months on, however, this looks like a very different United side.
Omari Forson, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof started in that early spring-time clash, while Christian Eriksen and Antony came off the bench.
While Forson and Varane have now gone, it would be a surprise if any of the latter trio appeared on the pitch on Friday night.
Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee, meanwhile, will be in contention to make their Premier League debuts.
Though, even during a summer of considerable change, one constant remains.
And Fulham’s head coach knows compatriot Bruno Fernandes well enough to realise that his Cottagers side cannot afford to give the Red Devils skipper even an inch.
Otherwise, as he so often does, Bruno will take a mile.
Fulham boss wary of Manchester United ace Bruno Fernandes
“Bruno Fernandes is a top player. Top, top player,” Silva says, via Beanyman Sports on YouTube. “I can say more about him. I think he’s one of the the crucial players for them.
“He is their captain, is is one of players with the most assists in this in this country, this Championship in the last three or four seasons. Every time he’s on the pitch, he can make an impact.
“He can score goals, can make assists. He’s a is a player with the knowledge about the game at really, really high level.”
Fernandes was rewarded with a new contract on Wednesday. The talismanic number eight is now due to stay until the summer of 2027.
The three-time Player of the Year may be utilised in a ‘false nine’ role by Ten Hag again on Friday, particularly if Zirkzee is not deemed ready to start. Fernandes shone in that position during the FA Cup final while only an offside flag denied him a Wembley wondergoal in last week’s Community Shield.
“You can feel it every single moment of the game; Bruno can be decisive on the ball and off the ball,” adds former Watford, Everton and Olympiakos coach Silva.
“He’s going to be a player of course we look for. (We) have to be to be aware of his qualities because he can decide a match in any moment of the game.”
Fulham travel to Old Trafford in Premier League opener
Man United’s meetings with Fulham have been a source for plenty of drama in recent times.
In addition to Iwobi’s last-gasp winner last term, there was also that Alejandro Garnacho decider at Craven Cottage, not to mention that Aleksandr Mitrovic meltdown in the FA Cup.
Silva, meanwhile, is keen to keep expectations in check even if Fulham did triumph in their last visit to Old Trafford.
“It’s different seasons, different moment of the season,” Silva tells Sky Sports. “We can’t compare one game with another and it’s always tough to play against Man United.”
“We have to be ourselves and express ourselves. Of course, we have huge respect for them and the quality they have playing at home.
“But something we really built in our football club is that when we go to play football, we go to match any side that we play against and we go to try to win the three points.”
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