Bruno Fernandes moans 'the standard of this club has to be higher'
Bruno Fernandes moans ‘the standard of this club has to be higher and better’ after Manchester United dropped MORE points in dull Leicester draw… and he demands his team-mates start to ‘think about winning every game we have’ from now on
- Bruno Fernandes is calling for Manchester United stars to raise their standards
- United picked up a disappointing 1-1 draw against Leicester City at Old Trafford
- Fred rescued the point after Kelechi Iheanacho had given the Foxes the lead
Bruno Fernandes called for Manchester United to raise their standards after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Leicester.
United’s hopes of finishing in the Premier League top-four were dealt a setback at Old Trafford on Saturday although Fred struck to rescue a point after Kelechi Iheanacho had given Leicester the lead.
The Foxes might have walked away with all three points but the video assistant referee chalked off James Maddison’s strike 10 minutes before full-time because of a foul in the build-up to the ‘goal’.
Bruno Fernandes called for Manchester United to raise their standards after Leicester draw
United’s hopes of finishing in the Premier League top-four were dealt a setback at Old Trafford
United, though, were uninspiring without Cristiano Ronaldo, sidelined due to illness, with his fellow Portuguese Fernandes withering in his critique of their display as he called for sharp improvements.
‘Everyone is disappointed,’ he told MUTV. ‘This result was not the result that we want but there is nothing we can do now.
‘We have to look ahead to the next game and understand that the standard of this club has to be higher and better, and we know that we are capable of that.’
Portuguese midfielder Fernandes has called for sharp improvements after their poor display
United were uninspiring without Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured), sidelined due to illness
Fernandes, who on Friday put pen to paper on a new contract that ties him to United until 2026 with the option of a further year, has come under scrutiny following a dip in his own form this season.
With Ronaldo and the injured Edinson Cavani absent and Marcus Rashford benched, Fernandes was deployed as a false nine while the returning Paul Pogba played higher up the pitch in a supplementary role.
United struggled to create many openings in a first half where their best chance fell to Fernandes, who fluffed his shot, but he had a hand in their equaliser three minutes after going behind.
Fernandes’ low strike drew a good save from Kasper Schmeichel but the ball headed into the path of Fred, who slotted in the rebound after 66 minutes which ultimately secured a share of the spoils.
Marcus Rashford was benched despite United being without Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani
Paul Pogba returned to the line-up and played higher up the pitch in a supplementary role
Fred (pictured) slotted in a rebound, which ultimately secured a share of the spoils for United
But Fernandes wants to draw a line under a result that left United three points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal, who have played two games fewer, and is now eyeing next week’s trip to Everton.
‘You have to think (about) winning every game we have going forward,’ he added.
‘But now, (we need to be) thinking about the next one and not rushing too much because we have to think game by game.’
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was able to pair former United defender Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana together at the heart of the defence for the first time since last season’s FA Cup final 11 months ago.
While Evans returned from a hamstring injury, this was a first league start of the campaign for Fofana, who earned extra praise from his manager following his recovery from a broken leg.
‘It was Wesley’s first day of Ramadan and he hasn’t eaten or absorbed a thing so to play to that level, it shows the strength of him and the top player he is,’ Rodgers said.
‘Those two centre-halves give you stability in the game.’
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers (pictured) pleased to have key centre-backs for the draw
While Fofana played the entire match, Evans was withdrawn due to cramp moments after Iheanacho’s opening goal but the defensive pair are in line to feature in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.
Leicester welcome PSV Eindhoven to the King Power Stadium on Thursday before Crystal Palace travel to the midlands three days later.
‘The idea is to recover over the next few days and then look to get them in that game (against PSV),’ Rodgers added. ‘The game we’ll have to assess will be Crystal Palace because of the short turnaround.’
Gary Neville thinks United are unlikely to finish in the top four after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Leicester on Saturday.
‘I think so,’ Neville said on Sky Sports, when asked whether the Red Devils were destined to finish outside the Champions League places.
‘That was really bad out there today. I thought it (international break) might work for Manchester United, give them a little break from the club, come back and just have a right go in this last nine games.
‘This is going to be a long two months for those Manchester United players and those Manchester United fans if they are going to play like that because it was really poor out there today.’
Gary Neville thinks Man United’s top four hopes may be over after they drew with Leicester
He also revealed that he is no longer angered by United’s performances, but is getting bored by how his former club are playing.
‘I think overall there are too many things at this club at this moment in time that are uncertain. Talks around Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cavani, the new manager, Ralf Rangnick. Is he going to be a consultant at the end of the season, is he not?
‘That was a really tough watch today. I’m not angry, I don’t think any Manchester United fans left the ground angry tonight, because we’ve gone probably past anger. We’re just flat, we’re bored.
‘And there was nothing there today. I do genuinely believe players care, but they lack direction, and that comes from the very top,’ Neville continued.
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