Bruno Fernandes has pointed to a lack of “aggression” as a key factor in Manchester United’s disappointing 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Sunday. A double from Jean-Philippe Mateta sealed the victory for the visitors, halting United’s recent run of three consecutive wins.
Fernandes, who played in a deeper midfield role against Palace, struggled to break down the Eagles’ resolute defence alongside his teammates. Speaking to MUTV after the match, the Portuguese midfielder acknowledged that while the team has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, performances like this serve as a stark reminder that there is still significant work to be done.
Bruno: We Must Be More Clinical
“Of course, we spoke after the games we won that everything we did in the past would be forgotten if we didn’t win the next one,” Fernandes said. “Today is the case, and everyone knew what was at stake – to focus on this game and get three points in the Premier League.
“Everyone was aware of that, and it’s a different competition where we needed to win to get three points. Unfortunately, today, we didn’t get the three points.”
United manager Ruben Amorim made the surprising decision to start without a recognised striker, deploying Kobbie Mainoo in a more advanced role instead. Fernandes admitted that the team lacked the necessary intensity and cutting edge in the final third, something that must be addressed, particularly in home matches.
“We lacked a little bit of aggression to get into the final third and try something to score goals,” Fernandes added. “We need the players we have in front to get more goals, to create more, and we need to be able to take players on to get goals from that.
“We did have some chances, but not as many as we should have.”
Looking Ahead to Leicester City
United now turn their attention to the Emirates FA Cup, where they face Leicester City in the fourth round on Friday evening. Fernandes emphasised the importance of maintaining focus and building on the positives, despite the setback against Palace.
“You build with results, and when you win games, you get more confident,” he reflected. “Obviously, we won the last two games, and everyone was pretty confident in what we were doing because everyone believes more when you’re winning.
“For us, now, it’s a setback, but we need to understand that we’ve been doing good things. Even today, we showed some good things. Obviously, the result doesn’t show that, but we need to be aware that we can achieve a lot with the things we’ve been doing.”
Fernandes’ comments highlight the need for United to rediscover their attacking edge and convert promising performances into results. With a crucial FA Cup tie on the horizon, the Reds will be eager to bounce back and keep their hopes of silverware alive this season.
