Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes expressed satisfaction with his side’s performance in their 0-0 draw against Manchester City, despite the result not being a win. His reaction was somewhat unusual, given United’s struggles in the bottom half of the Premier League table. However, Fernandes insisted that the outcome, in which United limited City’s attacking opportunities, was a positive for the team.
Although the draw was not the result Manchester United had hoped for, especially in terms of adding crucial points to their tally, Fernandes noted that holding a strong City side to a goalless draw was a significant achievement. The game offered a chance to test themselves against one of the top teams in the league, and according to Fernandes, United’s performance was a step in the right direction.
“We are aware that we need points in the league, and obviously, we wanted to win, but the fact that we stood up to Manchester City was a victory in itself,” said Fernandes. He went on to mention that while the team didn’t manage to score, they had shown great resilience and tactical discipline throughout the match. The Manchester United captain highlighted that the team was much more organised compared to their previous encounters and had contained City’s attacking force effectively.
“We were very well organised. We controlled the spaces and were patient in how we pressured City,” Fernandes explained. He pointed out that Manchester City, with their possession-based style, tried to dominate the ball and create overloads on the flanks. However, United adapted well, maintaining defensive shape and waiting for the right opportunities to counter. Fernandes felt that United’s defensive solidity was a major plus from the match.
Despite being satisfied with the overall team effort, Fernandes acknowledged that they missed several good chances to win the game. “We created more opportunities, and we just need to have that killer instinct to finish them off,” he admitted. He reflected on the first half, where United had several scoring chances but couldn’t capitalise. Fernandes believed that with a little more clinical finishing, the result could have been different, adding that the team needs to work on being more ruthless in front of goal in future matches.
The performance against City, according to Fernandes, showed that United were improving in their style of play, but he stressed that there were areas to improve. “We need to be more consistent in converting chances, and we need to develop a stronger mentality to finish games like this,” Fernandes stated. His belief in the team’s potential was evident, even if the result didn’t fully reflect their hard work on the field.
On the other hand, Manchester United’s manager, Ruben Amorim, spoke about the need for further improvement, despite the draw. He emphasised that every player in the squad has the potential to contribute more, pointing out that they were at the club because of their abilities shown at previous teams. Amorim noted that while the team was still developing, there were signs of progress, especially in their defensive organisation.
Amorim also highlighted the importance of spending more time in the final third to create more goal-scoring opportunities. “We are still a team that plays on transition, but we need to spend more time in the final third to have more opportunities,” he said. This indicated that while United showed resilience in defence, they also needed to be more effective when transitioning to attack and capitalising on the chances they created.
The 0-0 draw leaves Manchester United in 13th place in the Premier League standings with 38 points, still struggling to make an impact in the top half of the table. Manchester City, on the other hand, are in fifth place with 52 points, still very much in the hunt for a Champions League spot. While United’s performance against their local rivals was a step forward in terms of tactical discipline and resilience, they will need to build on it and become more effective in front of goal if they are to turn their season around.
