Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Man Utd3 - 0Leicester

sportsmole.co.uk, 10 November 2024, 20:08
Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes fell just short of matching a Red Devils milestone achieved by Cristiano Ronaldo in Sunday's 3-0 Premier League win over Leicester City.

In what was Ruud van Nistelrooy's last match as interim Man United head coach, the former Sporting Lisbon playmaker was the star of the show at Old Trafford, having a direct hand in all three goals.

Fernandes firstly broke the deadlock with a peach of a strike into the far corner, before his diving header took a wild deflection off of Victor Kristiansen and ended up rippling the roof of the net.

Man United's goal was eventually credited as an own goal for Kristiansen - denying Fernandes his second of the match - but the 30-year-old then teed up Alejandro Garnacho to score a stunning third from outside the area.

Fernandes's helper for Garnacho represented his 100th goal contribution in the Premier League, and the Portugal international has taken just 170 matches to hit that landmark, falling one short of Ronaldo's century from 169 appearances.

Fernandes one short of Ronaldo feat amid November revival

With his goal and assist on Sunday, Fernandes has now had a direct hand in 11 efforts in 17 matches across all competitions in the current campaign, scoring four of his own while laying on seven assists.

The 30-year-old endured a challenging start to the top-flight season in particular, only setting up one goal in his first seven games, but he has now come up with two goals and two assists in his last four Premier League appearances.

Fernandes's struggles came as part of Man United's collective issues during the last knockings of Erik ten Hag's reign, but he has thrived under Van Nistelrooy's wing and also scored twice in the 5-2 win over Leicester in the EFL Cup.

The Man United captain had previously spoken of feeling responsible for Ten Hag's sacking, having failed to hit his usual high standards in the current season, but he has urged himself to kick on with a peculiar "ketchup" analogy.

"I think, as many of the strikers said, when you open the ketchup, in the beginning it's tough to bring it out, but then, whenever you start bringing it out, it comes out all [at once]," Fernandes told MUTV.

"So, hopefully, it's not going to stop. And I have to carry on this momentum. It was a really good win, important because we need points in the league, everyone is aware of that. And from now on, we have to kick on, because we are too much far behind where we want to be."

Where will Fernandes play under Ruben Amorim?

In under 24 hours time, Amorim will officially begin his role as Man United manager, and the Sporting Lisbon boss is heavily expected to implement his 3-4-3 setup at Old Trafford.

However, Amorim's system can also be viewed as a 3-4-2-1, with the two wing-backs providing the width and the two behind the striker acting as number 10s or inside forwards as opposed to out-and-out wingers.

Fernandes is therefore sure to occupy one of those slots behind the striker - most likely Rasmus Hojlund - as Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo vie for the two deeper midfield spots.

Who Amorim selects to act as the second 'number 10' is anybody's guess, though; Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen and Joshua Zirkzee are all viable options in the inside roles, alongside recognised wide men Garnacho, Amad Diallo and Marcus Rashford.

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly joined the race for Atalanta BC attacker Ademola Lookman, with the Red Devils potentially battling Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk With all eyes fixed on the January transfer market, clubs around the UK and Europe are already lining up potential mid-season moves. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fortuna Sittard will be looking to secure a fourth home win on the bounce when they take on Twente at the Offermans Joosten Stadion in round 13 of the Eredivisie on Saturday. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Monaco vs. Brest (Friday, 6.00pm) The first game in Ligue 1 since the final international break of 2024 will see Monaco welcome Brest to the Stade Louis II on Friday night. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly told Mykhaylo Mudryk that he is still in their first-team plans ahead of the January transfer window. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has reportedly not yet made a full recovery from the knock he suffered prior to the international break. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Legendary striker Robert Lewandowski has revealed he was close to joining Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in 2012. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso will hope that his Bayer Leverkusen side can return to winning ways when they welcome strugglers Heidenheim to BayArena in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Wayne Rooney gives Romeo Montague a run for his money with wife Coleen revealing he writes her love poetry. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six places separate Wolfsburg and Union Berlin in the Bundesliga table ahead of Saturday's gameweek 11 match at the Volkswagen Arena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Borussia Dortmund have already fallen behind in the title race and will at least aim to stay within touching distance of the Champions League qualifications spots when they welcome Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday in their 11th Bundesliga game of the campaign. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A crunch clash at the bottom sees Heracles and RKC Waalwijk go head to head at the Asito Stadium on Saturday evening in gameweek 13 of the Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart sit a disappointing 11th in the Bundesliga table before welcoming cellar-dwelling VfL Bochum in Saturday's gameweek 11 action at the MHPArena. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brentford boss Thomas Frank has confirmed that Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa will both be available for Saturday's Premier League away meeting with Everton. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica and Estrela Amadora return to action on Saturday when they go head to head at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal. 21 November 2024 talksport.com West Ham have sounded out former Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic as a potential replacement for Julen Lopetegui, talkSPORT understands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to move back into the top six of the League One table, Huddersfield Town will welcome Charlton Athletic to the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday. 21 November 2024 talksport.com talkSPORT's Ally McCoist has opened up about living with Dupuytren's contracture, an incurable hereditary condition that affects the hands. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Luton Town will welcome Hull City to Kenilworth Road on Saturday for a crucial game at the bottom end of the Championship table. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Martin Odegaard is everything for Arsenal - he's at the heartbeat of everything positive they do. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to go top of the Championship table with a fifth straight victory, Sheffield United will travel to take on Coventry City on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RB Leipzig will aim to prevent the five-point gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich from extending by claiming all three points at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena on Saturday. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to maintain their five-point advantage over Werder Bremen after hosting them on Saturday at Deutsche Bank Park in their 11th Bundesliga outing of the season. 21 November 2024 talksport.com Newcastle defender Lewis Hall says his lack of game time in the first-team left him 'in a dark place' last season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams who could really do with a victory kick off round 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season as Go Ahead Eagles welcome Almere City to De Adelaarshorst on Saturday afternoon. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promotion-chasing Barnsley are favourites heading into Saturday's gameweek 17 League One match at Oakwell. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord and Heerenveen will both be looking to pick up where they left off right before the international break in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip in matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City officially announce that manager Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year contract extension. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Girona will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga for the first time this season when they welcome Espanyol to Estadi Montilivi on Saturday evening. 21 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk An in-form Las Palmas will be aiming to make it five wins from their last six matches in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign at home to Mallorca on Saturday night.