Gary Lineker and Micah Richards singled out one Manchester United star who was instrumental in the side’s second-half comeback.
Michael Carrick’s excellent start to life at Manchester United continued on Sunday, overturning a one-goal deficit against Crystal Palace to gain the side’s sixth win in seven games.
Palace were the much better side in the first half, with an early Maxence Lacroix header enough to see the travelling side go into half-time leading the game.
The hosts emerged from the break rejuvenated, and they got their chance to level the game when Matheus Cunha was brought down in the box by Lacroix, who earned himself a red card in the process. Bruno Fernandes slotted home coolly to bring the sides level.
Fernandes was once again on hand to provide the winner for his side when a great cross from the captain was finished excellently by Benjamin Šeško to lift the side into third place.
United will now turn their focus to a tricky away trip on Wednesday to 13th-placed Newcastle United, where they have not won since October 2020.
Fernandes’ impact was crucial
Like many times this season, it was the club’s captain, Bruno Fernandes, who had a crucial role to play in the comeback against Crystal Palace, getting his seventh goal and 13th assist of the season in the process.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Micah Richards singled out the Portuguese maestro as the catalyst that led to the comeback win in the second half.
“I thought in the game, like you said, Gaz [Gary Lineker], it was quite sluggish. I didn’t think they thought they could just turn up, but the passing was a little bit slow.
“But when Bruno Fernandes gets a grip of that game, and he talked about spaces, and where he goes, he’s so clever.”
Gary Lineker added, “He’s everywhere.”
Richards went on to say, “Yeah, but when he crosses, he goes sort of inside left channel. He doesn’t try to go in the middle. He sees where everyone is, and then he always uses his full-back or his winger, and then they play back to him, where he’s got that time to cross.
“Like, you mentioned the goal, but if you actually look at his positioning, and we’re talking about people getting back into position and defensive line, he’s always scanning about where the best place is to be, where he can affect the game.”
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Fernandes is going from strength to strength
It comes as no surprise that Fernandes has seen an uptick in form since being restored to his preferred position as a No. 10, scoring twice and assisting five in Carrick’s interim spell so far.
Lineker was blown away by the 31-year-old’s footballing IQ that he displayed against Palace, saying, “You see him on the right wing. You see him on the left wing. You see him [everywhere]. I mean, he’s incredible. What a brain.”
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Richards responded to Lineker’s assessment. “Yeah, but it sounds really simple. Well, of course, a player who’s played in No. 10 could go everywhere, but if you look at other people’s performances when they’re trying to get on the ball, they’re just trying to get on the ball in between the lines.
“There’s no space there, but Bruno just goes everywhere where he can get half a yard to put in a great delivery. And he’s just an outstanding player, one of the players of the season so far.”
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