Manchester United suffered a crushing defeat to FC Copenhagen in the Champions League last night, losing a back-and-forth encounter by four goals to three.

On a dramatic evening in the Danish capital, United were in control of proceedings until the 42nd minute when Marcus Rashford was shown a controversial red card.

The United man was dismissed with his side two goals to the good and looking likely to put their hosts to the sword.

However, a lengthy period of added on time at the end of the first period allowed Copenhagen to draw level before the break after Rashford’s red and completely change the momentum of the game.

A possible offside for Copenhagen’s opener and controversial penalty for the equalizer did nothing for United’s mood going into the break with lady luck well and truly deserting Erik ten Hag’s side.

Bruno Fernandes did put United back in front midway through the second half but it wasn’t enough as the Danes scored twice in the last seven minutes to win the game.

Speaking to MUTV, the captain opened up on the disappointment after the defeat and feels his side deserved something for their efforts.

“It’s disappointment, obviously, I think for everything we did in the game, we could, and should, have got something from the game,” he said.

Fernandes praised his teammates for the spirit showed with 10 men and bemoaned the decisions that went against them on the night.

“It’s difficult at the moment, obviously the mood is not the best because we’ve fought so hard with 10 men that even from then, it was playing against a team that plays really good on the ball and apart from that many decisions was against us,” said Bruno.

The Portuguese midfielder then issued a rallying cry to his teammates, urging them to keep believing they can get out of the group.

“Even before this game, that was still the belief; to win the last three games of the group stage. And now we have two, we have to win them if we want to keep in the Champions League and stay in the best competition, we have to win against the best,” he said.

Should United win the final two fixtures they will qualify for the knockout phase but the difficulty of the opponents does leave their backs against the wall.

Bruno acknowledged the size of the task head but insists United are looking no further than the weekend visit of Luton Town and says they will use that game to get back to winning ways.

“We have a very tough game away against Galatasaray, and after, we play against the top of the group.

We want to win both, but now we have to focus on Luton because it’s going to be a tough game again, we need three points in the league, we need to get back to the winning track after this defeat and keeping the winning track in the Premier League,” he added.

United entertain Luton in a 3pm (GMT) kick-off on Saturday.

The post Bruno Fernandes says Manchester United must get back to winning ways after Champions League defeat to FC Copenhagen appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

United beat FC Copenhagen at Old Trafford and would have undoubtedly been keen on a similar result in order to advance to the next round of the competition.

Erik ten Hag started Andre Onana in goal with a defensive four of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Diogo Dalot ahead of the Cameroonian goalkeeper.

In midfielder, Ten Hag gave the nod to Christian Eriksen, Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes.

Rasmus Hojlund led the line with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho on either wing. Here are three things we learned from Manchester United’s 4-3 loss against FC Copenhagen.

Give Hojlund goalscoring chances and he will score

United started the game in breathtaking fashion through Hojlund who scored two goals in the third and 28th minute respectively.

For the first, a brilliant pass from Wan-Bissaka to find McTominay set the Scotland international very well inside the Copenhagen box. McTominay produced a stunning cross to Hojlund who was arriving at the back post.

The striker made no mistake from close range.

For Hojlund’s second, Garnacho tried to plant the ball into the back of the net but his shot was saved by Kamil Grabara. Luckily for United Hojlund was at the right place to score from the spilled save to give United a two-goal lead.

The 20-year-old is the first ever player to score five goals in his first four Champions League games for the 20-time English champions.

Rasmus Højlund is the first ever player to score five goals in his first four Champions League games for Manchester United.#UCL pic.twitter.com/ugACN43Ks9

— Squawka (@Squawka) November 8, 2023

Unfortunately for the Red Devils, a  seemingly ridiculous VAR intervention to send Rashford off led to events spiralling out of control to allow Copenhagen an avenue back into the game.

By the time both teams were heading down the tunnel, Jacob Neestrup’s men had restored parity.

Throughout the season, Hojlund’s teammates have been accused of not creating enough opportunities for him, especially in the Premier League where the Dane is yet to open his goalscoring account.

It’s clear that when presented with the chances during games, Hojlund certainly has the ability to score and make his mark. It’s up to the rest of the team to create for him.

United collapsed in the second half

During large parts of the second half while a man down, United seemed defensively sound and compact enough.

The Reds even took the lead momentarily after Fernandes dispatched a powerful shot from the penalty spot into the back of the net.

However, a big defensive mistake from Dalot allowed Lukas Lerager to draw Copenhagen level once more.

Dalot did not notice Lerager behind them and the rival star was all too happy to creep in and score.

Just four minutes later, United failed to deal with a cross inside the box. The ball found Roony Bardghji who expertly connected with it to give Onana no chance of saving the ball.

All of United’s good work was undone in a few minutes in which some players lost concentration and let the moment get to them.

United’s Champions League dream hanging by a thread

As a result of their defeat at Parken, United’s dreams of making it out of Group A and advancing to the next round of the competition are hanging by a thread.

At the moment. the 20-time English champions are in the bottom position in their group with just three points.

Galatasaray who were beaten by two goals at the Allianz Arena by Bayern Munich, are a point above United.

United are now facing an uphill battle to make it to the round of 16 and will need big performances against Galatasaray and Bayern Munich.

The post Three things we learned as Manchester United suffer devastating 4-3 defeat vs. FC Copenhagen appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

A report has claimed that the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund is looking to lure Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes away from Old Trafford.

Journalist Rudy Galetti claimed yesterday that the PIF is in the process of exploring a deal for the Portuguese playmaker.

PIF is already taking some concrete steps ahead of the next summer transfer session.

Bruno #Fernandes is emerging among the targets on the list: some representatives are set to contact and meet his entourage to explore the room of negotiation. #Transfers #MUFC pic.twitter.com/rzD4p3tzkd

— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) November 5, 2023

If the report is to be believed, representatives of the PIF are due to enter into talks with Fernandes’ entourage in order to pave the way to future negotiations with the player.

In addition to being the majority shareholder at Newcastle United, the PIF also holds stakes in the four biggest clubs in the Saudi Pro League, namely, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli.

Since taking the captain’s armband off Harry Maguire, Fernandes has been subject to both criticism and praise in his leadership role at Man United.

Former United captain Roy Keane declared that he would strip the midfielder of the captaincy, taking issue with Fernandes’ body language during the 3-0 loss to Manchester City and concluding that he “is not captain material.”

Still, several other United legends have thrown their support behind the 29 year old.

Rio Ferdinand praised Fernandes for his performance in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Fulham, claiming that he stepped up just as he did in the win over Burnley earlier in the season.

“The captain stood up,” Ferdinand stated. “We needed a big performance, we needed a goal. Critical time against Burnley after the Champions League defeat, he stepped up. Today they needed somebody to step out of the shadows and get into the spotlight. That was him.”

Former United goalkeeper David de Gea also expressed his confidence in Fernandes, taking to social media to support the United skipper.

With former United talisman Cristiano Ronaldo joining Al-Nassr and the likes of Karim Benzema and Neymar following him in Saudi Arabia, it’s clear that no player is off-limits when it comes to bringing new stars into the rapidly developing league.

Taking that into consideration, United will need to remain vigilant should they hope to quash the PIF’s efforts to snatch up their skipper.

The post Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund look to lure Bruno Fernandes away from Manchester United – report appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Fernandes marked the special occasion with a stunning match-winning goal which ensured United secured the win to clinch all three points.

The midfielder joined United from Sporting Lisbon in 2020 for £68m. Since his arrival, he has gone on to cement his status as one of the club’s most important players, the culmination of which was his appointment as United skipper in July during the pre-season tour.

Fernandes’ goal against Fulham was his 67th for the Red Devils. He has also managed an impressive 57 assists in that time.

Among the players currently on United’s books, Fernandes ranks seventh in terms of number of appearances made.

Jonny Evans is in sixth position having chalked up 205 games.

Fernandes’ has amassed 135 appearances in the Premier League alone since joining United. The playmaker has often been hailed for his consistency, reliability and ability to remain injury-free at all times.

In the 16 Champions League games Fernandes has featured, the Portugal international has registered just four goals.

He has nine goals to his name in the Europa League.

The 29-year-old has managed five goals in 14 FA Cup matches and has returned just two goals in 10 Carabao Cup fixtures.

Creativity and chance creation have often been mentioned as Fernandes’ strongest attributes. The player has fashioned a whooping 76 big chances since signing for United.

He has also provided 84 through balls.

Fernandes has been directly involved in 33 more goals than any other United star since his arrival at Old Trafford – 122. Marcus Rashford comes closest with a total of 89 goal involvement since Fernandes made his debut.

Another notable achievement for Fernandes after finding the back of the net vs. Fulham is that he has now netted more goals than Dwight Yorke who scored on 66 occasions for United in 152 matches.

Fernandes has however won far fewer trophies than Yorke with only a Carabao Cup to his name.

No doubt the midfielder will be aiming to notch more silverware in the coming seasons.

The post Bruno Fernandes marks landmark 200 appearances for Man United with goal vs. Fulham appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper and club legend, David De Gea, took to social media to defend his old teammate Bruno Fernandes from the barrage of criticism he has recently faced about his captaincy.

The Red Devils secured a vital, narrow 1-0 victory yesterday against Fulham to slightly ease the pressure on the manager and the players. Captain Bruno Fernandes showed up in a big way yesterday in the dying embers of the contest.

The Portugese midfielder showed his class by staying calm and after wriggling this way and that to get off a shot, placed the ball just out of reach of Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal. The players and fans went wild alike and United followers could go home happy with another three points on the road.

However, this season has not always gone to plan for the side from the red half of Manchester. Results have been erratic to say the least and many players have come under public fire. Bruno Fernandes is no exception. The man from Portugal has been called out numerous times for his suitability for the role of captain.

Sky Sports pundit, Roy Keane, has been a vocal critic of the midfielder. The Irishman claimed that after United’s 3-0 loss at home to Manchester City, he would “100%” take the captain’s armband off Fernandes.

The former United captain explained “I think he’s a talented player no doubt about it but what I saw with him again and I know we discussed it many times before, like Liverpool last year, but his whinging and moaning.”

The former midfield general would go on to state that Bruno Fernandes is the furthest thing from a captain in his eyes. Damning words from one of United’s most decorated and respected leaders of all time.

"He's the opposite to what I would want in a captain!"

Roy Keane says he would take the captaincy off Bruno Fernandes pic.twitter.com/r8ynceAum8

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 29, 2023

However, according to The Mirror, former teammate De Gea took to social media to fire off a response seemingly aimed at Keane. Fernandes had posted on Instagram after the win on Saturday lunchtime and the Spanish free agent goalkeeper commented below “you are not the right captain”.

The timing of the social media post is a clear tongue-in-cheek retort to Fernandes’ critics. Another former Spanish player, Juan Mata, also took to Instagram to defend his ex-colleague.

The Spaniard reeled off a bunch of complimentary adjectives to describe the current Manchester United captain such as professional, decisive, leader and talented to name a few. Mata finished the post by stating “and imperfect, just like the rest of us. Always in my team”.

No doubt Bruno Fernandes will appreciate the support of not only his current but also former teammates. Being the skipper of the 2023/2024 United team is no easy feat.

For a lot of Manchester United fans it is hard to lay a big proportion of the blame at Fernandes’ feet. The midfielder has been asked to play in a number of different positions already this term and also scored three goals. Only Casemiro has more for the Red Devils this season. As Mata stated, nobody is perfect but Bruno is far from the club’s biggest concern.

The post David De Gea defends Man United captain Bruno Fernandes appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

A late goal from Fernandes provided some relief for Erik ten Hag who has been under pressure.

In defence, United largely had Maguire to thank for the side’s solidity at the back that secured a third clean sheet in the Premier League this season.

Speaking to TNT Sport (via The Mirror) after the final whistle, Ferdinand hailed the two players.

He said, “The captain stood up. We needed a big performance, we needed a goal. Critical time against Burnley after the Champions League defeat, he stepped up. Today they needed somebody to step out of the shadows and get into the spotlight. That was him. He took responsibility. A fantastic strike.”

“He (Maguire) deserves special mention as well. Head injury in the first couple of seconds of the game, battled his way through. It’s not about performances, there wasn’t a good performance there today. But they got the three points and that’s the most important thing.”

Ferdinand also addressed Rasmus Hojlund’s situation. The goalscorer cut a very lonely and frustrated figure up front as he had little to no service to pounce on.

When he was taken off, Hojlund was visibly angry and was spotted moaning and shaking his head on the bench.

Ferdinand explained that Hojlund is right to be disappointed because his teammates are neither playing to his strengths nor supporting him in terms of fashioning clear-cut goalscoring opportunities.

The Dane is yet to score in England’s top flight, although he has managed three goals in the Champions League this term.

Ferdinand remarked on the 20-year-old United star, “I wish we’d had a bit more time with Erik ten Hag [to discuss Hojlund] because he’s invested in a player we’re not seeing the best of. His best attributes are not being seen because the team aren’t playing to his strengths.”

“He [Ten Hag] said in his press conferences we want to play a bit more direct with players like Hojlund and Rashford who can play on the counter. Too many times they get wide and the quality is nowhere near good enough.”

“Antony doesn’t want to cross it, his first instinct is to see what he can do for himself. Marcus is more of a striker who wants to get on the end of things and see if he can finish. When he’s making his movements the ball is being delayed and isn’t coming into the areas.”

The 44-year-old TV pundit noted that in one instance during the match, Hojlund had made a brilliant darting run in anticipation of a cross from Alejandro Garnacho, but the Argentine’s cross never came.

As per Ferdinand, Hojlund’s case is not assisted by the fact that he is still so young and as such, does not possess the fortitude to ruffle a few feathers and demand more from his teammates.

The post Rio Ferdinand praises Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes for stepping up vs. Fulham appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

The game could have been a lot less difficult for United had a VAR controversy, another in a long line involving United, hadn’t ruled out Scott McTominay’s early goal.

However, Bruno Fernandes made sure it didn’t affect the result with his late strike securing the win.

Talking after the win, Scott McTominay revealed his thoughts about the banner United fans unfurled in the away end.

Exasperated by the results and efforts recently, fans had brought a banner saying “Play like you mean it!”.

McTominay said that he saw the banner while they were warming up on the pitch ahead of the game.

He said it sent a steely determination through the team to do well for the fans who have been loyal in their support and pay good money to follow the team.

He recognised that things aren’t going well for them at the moment but talked about the win against Fulham being a catalyst and a building block for future success.

“We saw the banner before the game and a few of us said, do you know what, the fans pay good money to come and watch every week and the support is relentless towards us every single week and we just want to repay them as best as we can.

“Things aren’t going the best at the moment but it’s a building block. We can go and kick on and do better,” he said.

Captain Bruno Fernandes struck a similar tone, urging the players to ride on the wave of this win with a crucial clash in the Champions League next up against Copenhagen.

While United’s performance was still up to scratch, they find themselves in a position where three points is all that matters.

Hearing the players’ comments, it looks like they are not giving up despite the downturn in form.

The post Scott McTominay reveals he saw the banner questioning players’ committment before the Fulham game appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Heading into the game, pressure was mounting on Erik ten Hag and his players to get back to winning ways after a number of poor results.

Ten Hag started Andre Onana in goal, with a defensive four of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Diogo Dalot ahead of the Cameroonian.

In midfield, Christian Eriksen started as United’s deepest-lying man with Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay alongside him in the middle of the park.

Rasmus Hojlund led the line with Antony and Alejandro Garnacho on either side. Here are three things we learned from Manchester United’s 1 – 0 win against Fulham.

Raphael Varane’s peculiar exclusion

In yet another game, Varane was left out.

Amidst suggestions of rifts in the background and dressing room unrest, it was reported that Varane is one of the players who may be unhappy with Ten Hag.

It was relayed that the Frenchman was not amused by the manager’s decision to leave him out of the game against Manchester City in favour of Evans and Maguire due to “tactical reasons.”

Varane did not feature vs. Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. United claimed that he was ill and that was the sole reason for his absence.

Conflicting reports relayed that the World Cup winner did not train and was not satisfied with his ongoing situation with respect to lack of game time despite being fit.

It was therefore surprising when the team sheet came out for the Fulham game and Varane was on the bench again.

It’s puzzling that Ten Hag gave the nod to Maguire and Evans once more despite Varane’s presence.

On more than one occasion across the 90 minutes, Maguire had to come off for treatment but even then, Ten Hag did not opt for Varane.

Not to say that Maguire and Evans have done anything particularly wrong when they’ve started together but few will disagree that Varane offers much more and is easily the better defender when in top shape and injury-free.

Varane only came on int the dying embers of the game for Garnacho, to ensure United got over the line.

United struggling to create enough clear-cut goalscoring opportunities

A noticeable theme of the game was just how much the Red Devils struggled to fashion enough goalscoring chances.

With the exception of McTominay’s disallowed goal in the opening 45 minutes, United barely created anything for the rest of the half – something that extended into the second period.

Most of United’s chances came about through trying long-distance efforts that frankly, didn’t trouble Bernd Leno who was mostly comfortable throughout the game.

Ten Hag’s men had a lot of possession but it’s disappointing they could not do much with the ball up until Fernandes grabbed the late winner.

United had Eriksen and Fernandes on the pitch, arguably two of the Premier League’s most creative midfielders but even then, chances were far between each other.

As has usually been the case, Hojlund cut a very frustrated and lonely figure up front. The Dane did not have much to pounce on.

He was visibly angry when substituted.

During the game, the away fans could be heard chanting “attack attack attack” in an apparent effort to get the players to speed things up.

United’s forwards have struggled to put the ball into the back of the net this term and while this has been down to poor finishing, another primary reason is that they’ve not been presented with enough opportunities to score.

This is something Ten Hag will undoubtedly be keen to sort out if he is to be successful in retaining his job as manager of the 20-time English champions.

Antony extremely poor again

Antony was easily United’s poorest performer against Fulham.

The Brazilian contributed next to nothing when he was on and it was hardly a shock that he was the first to be taken just minutes after the hour mark.

It has usually been said that Ten Hag’s continued selection of Antony and his favouritism for the player is one of the players’ major gripes with the Dutchman.

Consistently this season, Antony has failed to justify his inclusion in the starting XI and already, he appears to be another player United have wasted big money on.

Even Facundo Pellistri who only played a few minutes managed to do more than Antony did. The Uruguayan registered an assist for Fernandes’ goal.

It’s telling that when the 23-year-old came off, United fans cheered in response to the change made by Ten Hag.

There's a Brazilian winger on the pitch United could/should have signed: Willian in 2018.
United fans cheered as Antony was substituted. He has been abysmal again. #mufc

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) November 4, 2023

If United are to be a successful team going forward, they can no longer rely on Antony – clearly a very limited and one-dimensional player not suited to playing at this level.

The post Three things we learned from Man United’s late win vs. Fulham at Craven Cottage appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

(A score of 6 is around average)

Andre Onana 7- Continued his good form with some assured play. A clean sheet will do wonders for his confidence.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka 6- Switched off a couple of times on aerial balls, a regular weakness of his on the far post. Otherwise, he defended admirably and United will value his one-on-one skills.

Jonny Evans 6- Not much to write about as Fulham rarely posed a threat through the middle. Missed one ambitious volley in the attacking box.

Harry Maguire 7- Recovered from an early knock to keep good company for Evans. Strong in duels, more confident in possession. If nothing else, he is a genuine squad option on his current form.

Diogo Dalot 6- Shifted to left-back to accommodate Wan-Bissaka and handled himself fairly well. No glaring errors.

Scott McTominay 6- Will be furious after his goal got ruled out due to some dicey VAR-Referee decisions but didn’t contribute much otherwise.

Christian Eriksen 4- Secure in possession but playing him as the sole holding midfielder is asking for trouble, especially in defensive transitions. Got bypassed too easily.

Antony 2- Why is he still a first-teamer? At this point, no turnaround is happening. This is his level. His game has been figured out, and the talent to do something new is not there. Another horrendous display.

Bruno Fernandes 8- All was forgiven as he played the role of a talisman to jink past two on the edge of the box and finished in style to give United the lead. Played the ball too quickly at times, a recurring issue with him.

Alejandro Garnacho 7- Lacks the on-ball dribbling to trick past deep blocks who don’t give him space to run beyond but never stopped trying and the only time United looked threatening was when he had the ball.

Rasmus Hojlund 6- Willing runner, again. Lacking service, again. Without a Premier League goal, again.

Substitutes:

Facundo Pellistri 7- Showed more than Antony after coming on but that’s not a high bar to clear. Had some nice touches and even used his weaker foot on a few occasions.

Mason Mount 5- He’s firmly a rotation option now, a scary prospect for a marquee signing of the last window. Still don’t know what his best role is.

Anthony Martial 6- Missed a chance with an improvised finish in the box but the expectations from him are now next to nothing.

Manager Erik ten Hag 5- The team played better than it has recently but the lack of off-the-ball movement and attacking patterns is a sore watch. The clean sheet is a good start, but the attack is not clicking at all.

The post Fulham 0-1 Manchester United: Player Ratings appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Fernandes came under harsh criticism for what was perceived to be a petulant performance during United’s 3-0 loss against Manchester City.

Legendary midfielder Roy Keane event went on ahead to suggest that Fernandes should be stripped of the captaincy as he lacks the attributes players demand of a leader.

Gary Neville also slammed the Portugal international for constantly moaning and whinging at the referee during the game vs. Man City.

As the Red Devils were beaten by Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, Fernandes initially started on the bench before coming on as a second-half substitute.

He had little impact and could not do much as his side were dumped out of the competition by Eddie Howe’s men.

Nani, who made 230 appearances for United, spoke to 1 PARA 1 (via METRO) and said that the United players need to do more to follow Fernandes’ example.

The former winger said, “When we used to play at Manchester [United], one of the things that defined the club was that you could be losing 3-0 with 15 minutes, 10 minutes left in a game, and that’s when you saw what mental strength means.”

“It’s no longer about talent, it’s about pushing the ball into the goal. We did that, we did what was necessary. Now, when you watch Manchester play, you see a lot of talent, maybe more talent than in our time in terms of technique, and they’re all technically gifted.”

“But when you watch the game, there’s no spirit of sacrifice, no fighting spirit… a real player, a star, at Manchester, has to unlock the game – if they don’t, it won’t work. Manchester already has great players. We have Bruno Fernandes. If Bruno Fernandes wasn’t playing well, I’d criticise him too, but for example, the sacrifice and effort he puts into the game, he does it.”

Nani added, “We see it. He works hard, gives his all, and contributes. It’s just that many others don’t keep up with it.”

United face Fulham next at Craven Cottage on Saturday, before making the trip to Denmark on Wednesday to face FC Copenhagen at Parken.

The post Luis Nani accuses Manchester United players of failing to keep up with Bruno Fernandes appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.