Bruno Fernandes was the star man for Manchester United in their second pre-season game as he scored a brace in a 2-1 win over West Ham.
Manchester United began their Premier League Summer Series with a 2-1 win over West Ham at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Rúben Amorim’s side came out with real purpose and looked much sharper than their opponents from the outset. Their early pressure paid off when Ayden Heaven capitalised on a goalkeeping error to win a penalty, which Bruno Fernandes calmly converted.
United continued to control the game in the second half, and their intensity was rewarded again. Kobbie Mainoo won the ball high up the pitch and played in Fernandes, who expertly lifted the ball over the goalkeeper for his second of the match.
West Ham pulled one back through Jarrod Bowen on the break, but United managed the closing stages well to secure a deserved victory in their first pre-season fixture.
Amorim makes clear promise to Fernandes
Even though, once again, it was Fernandes providing the clinical moments for United, Amorim has promised that the club captain will have more help this season.
Last term, when Fernandes was playing in the deeper role, United lacked quality further up the pitch and suffered. The United boss thinks the additions of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo will help in this aspect.
The Portuguese coach also added that Mainoo can be another player who helps Fernandes, with the Englishman looking set to help in a deeper role again this season.
“I think now he has more players, I feel, to help him to lead the group and that is a good thing. He is our leader and really important, not just on the field, but off the field,” explained Amorim.
“Last year, I felt sometimes I pushed him back to have more possession in the build-up and we miss Bruno near the box.
“With different characteristics from Bryan [Mbeumo] and Matheus Cunha, and I really like Kobbie Mainoo’s game, he will have more help this season.”
How Mainoo can help Fernandes
It is interesting to see Mainoo noted by Amorim as a player who can help Fernandes excel but it makes complete sense when you consider some difficulties from last term.
Sometimes when playing in that pivot, Fernandes was moving all over the place to help United progress the ball and that was because neither Manuel Ugarte or Casemiro stand out in those moments.
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For Mainoo, that is his bread and butter and if he’s able to improve his off-ball work then Fernandes would have a lot less work to do in those moments.
While neither of them have started together in the pivot in the opening two pre-season fixtures, it seems like something that Amorim must look at ahead of the season as it could be the best solution to the midfield issues at Old Trafford.
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