At the end, as fans made their way to the exit, Jason Wilcox chuckled as he shared a brief conversation with Sir Dave Brailsford.
Wilcox, United’s newly appointed manager, was watching at Old Trafford for the first time since his appointment became official last week.
The content of their conversation remains a mystery. But what he saw was, once again, a team besieged by problems, but one that has its own superhero in captain Bruno Fernandes. It’s scary to think where they would be this season without him.
“Despite all the chaos surrounding Manchester United,” Micah Richards reflected on Match of the Day last night, “I think for a player to keep his composure and be able to perform at the level that is needed is fantastic.”
Here Manchester United found themselves losing 2-1 at home to the league’s worst team, just days after blowing a 3-0 lead at Wembley against second-tier Coventry City. The autopsy promised to be ugly.
Bruno Fernandes came to the rescue of Manchester United in their 4-2 victory over Sheffield United
The Portuguese scored United’s second goal from the penalty spot and the hosts tied
He then put United ahead in the second half with a magnificent long-range shot.
And just as he needed it that day, Fernandes would once again put United on his back to turn things around. At Wembley it was a penalty that changed the momentum in the shootout, while on Wednesday night it was a goal-goal-assist sequence that took United from 2-1 down to 4-2 up.
He first scored a penalty to make it 2-2 after Harry Maguire was brought down; then he scored spectacularly from distance; He ended up teing up Rasmus Hojlund with a precise cross across the box.
Fernandes has a warrior spirit that doesn’t get the credit it deserves.
While Ten Hag was left with another repaired squad (he still only has one fit senior centre-back available and was without Marcus Rashford for this one), Fernandes was again available to play, this time with some straps and heavy bandages on his hand right. .
“He shows his leadership,” Ten Hag said. ‘But also his energy, in his transition in both directions, is very important.
“He tries to encourage the team. He is doing very well and we are very satisfied with his performance and his attitude.”
It would be easy to say that Fernandes has been reborn lately, except that would overlook the fact that he tops their scoring and assist charts all season.
This is neither accidental nor simply recent.
Fernandes then set up Rasmus Hojlund (right) for United’s fourth goal of the night.
Despite Fernandes’ heroics, United again looked unconvincing at Old Trafford.
In fact, no midfielder has been involved in more goals in the Premier League this season than Fernandes (26).
Further? Of midfielders in the top five European leagues, only Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (25), Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham (21) and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz (17) have scored more goals than him (15).
The difference is that, as captain of Manchester United, Fernandes finds himself in the brightest spotlight in the game. Even his great season statistically isn’t enough to see him immune to criticism.
“I’m very happy to score, but I want to win games more than score goals,” Fernandes said.
“It’s also part of my role to score goals. But the main thing for me is to win games. Lately we haven’t won as many as we should.
‘It’s part of the job. You can win eight or nine games in a row and as soon as you lose, you know you’re going to get criticized. Being a Manchester United player requires winning games.”
One of the biggest takeaways for Wilcox and Brailsford on Wednesday night is that any new and improved Manchester United team must be built around Fernandes.
Erik ten Hag’s team once again showed all the family flows that have plagued them this season
Last-placed Sheffield United took the lead twice at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
Newly appointed United manager Jason Wilcox (left) was present along with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford (right).
The Portuguese midfielder is a superstar and simply needs similar or better quality around him to be able to flourish without burning out.
Fernandes’ to-do list is getting longer and longer.
He dives deep to initiate attacks, looks to break lines by driving with the ball, drifts left or right to create extra space for others in midfield, and then there is his finishing ability and leadership skills, the latter They show themselves best when teenage striker Ethan Wheatley came on.
Wheatley was introduced as the club’s 250th academy graduate to earn a first-team debut and after high-fiving Rasmus Hojlund, the man he was replacing, he was soon greeted by Fernandes, who was seen whispering in his ear.
“He took me aside and told me I had nine minutes to try and score a goal,” Wheatley later revealed to MUTV.
Fernandes has been Manchester United’s superman for weeks, but even he couldn’t score a late goal for Wheatley on his and the club’s historic night.
However, he’s done more than enough and it’s not even worth thinking about where Ten Hag’s charges would be without him.