MANCHESTER, England: As the dust settles on Manchester United’s humiliating 7-0 loss to Liverpool, manager Erik ten Hag is hoping he and his team have learned something from the setback.
The Dutchman wants an instant reaction when his team hosts Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday and his starting lineup could offer an insight into which players he felt were most culpable for the collapse at Anfield.
Bruno Fernandes’ position as stand-in captain, however, appears to be safe.
“He’s playing a brilliant season. He’s had a really important role in why we’re in the position where we are because he’s giving energy to the team,” Ten Hag said Wednesday.
Fernandes has worn the captain’s armband for the majority of the season in the absence of Harry Maguire, who has lost his regular starting place. But the Portugal international’s petulant performance against Liverpool, when he was frequently complaining to the referee, has led to plenty of criticism. Some have questioned whether he is captain material.
Former United captain Gary Neville, now a television commentator, labeled Fernandes an “embarrassment.”
“I think some of his behavior in the second half has been a disgrace,” Neville said.
United denied that Fernandes had asked to be substituted during the game.
“He’s pointing and coaching players, he’s an inspirator for the whole team. But no one is perfect, everyone has his mistakes,” Ten Hag said. “Everyone has to learn. I have to learn and he will learn as well because he’s intelligent.
“I’m really happy to have Bruno Fernandes in the team and I’m really happy, if Harry is not on the pitch, that he’s our captain.”
Fernandes has started all but one Premier League game this season and has rediscovered some of his best form under Ten Hag. A week before the loss to Liverpool, he led United to their first trophy in six years when captaining the team to a 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the League Cup final.
He lifted the trophy with Maguire at Wembley Stadium.
“He’s been a good leader for us even when he’s not been captain, which is always a good sign,” United teammate Marcus Rashford said. “He’s helped other players become better leaders and the reality is we can’t be a well-organized team with just one leader being the captain. He’s done a lot for us in terms of bringing his leadership skills in, and that was from the moment he arrived.
“Sometimes you want to win so bad you end up doing things that are a little bit out of character. But I, 100 percent I support Bruno. We are behind him.”
The loss effectively ended United’s Premier League title challenge, with the team 14 points behind leader Arsenal. It also equaled the biggest defeat in the club’s history, and was the third rout this season after losing to Brentford 4-0 and Manchester City 6-3.
Ten Hag described it as a “huge setback,” adding there were lessons “that can help us for the future.”
“That’s the positive, how negative it is. We were really below average, especially mentally-wise,” Ten Hag said. “If we want to be a big team and we want to win trophies then you have to act differently.”
Despite conceding six goals in the second half, Rashford denied the team gave up against Liverpool.
“That’s nonsense,” Rashford said. “We were unorganized, yes. Communication was bad, yes. That’s why we conceded the goals. But it comes down to the fact that I believe everyone was trying to get back into the game that much, we came away from the team’s principles in and out of possession.”
The Premier League may be out of reach, but United can still win three trophies with the team in contention for the Europa League and FA Cup.
Against Betis, United have a chance to get the season back on track.
“I’m happy and grateful we have another game quickly,” Rashford said, “because we have an opportunity to take a step forward from the last game and put it behind us.”
Fernandes’ role is safe, Man United manager Ten Hag says
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Fernandes’ role is safe, Man United manager Ten Hag says
- The Dutchman wants an instant reaction when his team hosts Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday
- Bruno Fernandes' position as stand-in captain, however, appears to be safe
Rodgers’ Al-Qadsiah fall behind in title race as points dropped against Al-Fateh
- The Knights of the East move onto 44 points after 1-1 draw, six behind leaders Al-Hilal
- Julian Quiñones nets 18th goal of the season to move second in goal rankings
RIYADH: Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli will breathe a sigh of relief after Al-Fateh held Al-Qadsiah to a 1-1 draw at the culmination of Matchday 21 in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Qadsiah now sit three points adrift of Al-Ahli, five behind Al-Nassr and six behind Al-Hilal.
Al-Fateh, who continue to rise up the table after a difficult start to the season, entered the encounter with a set of changes made by José Manuel Gomes. Looking to counter Brendan Rodgers’ 5-3-2, the visitors set up in a similar formation, with Sofiane Bendebka operating higher up the pitch to press Julian Weigl.
The match began at a frantic pace, with two goals arriving in quick succession. Al-Qadsiah’s right flank has continued to be a target for opposition sides, with the space behind Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat exposing Jehad Thekri to repeated one-on-one situations.
Naif Masoud dribbled his way into the box before releasing Wesley Delgado down his left. The Cape Verde international squared for Matías Vargas, who finished with precision past Koen Casteels in the eighth minute.
Shortly after, Al-Qadsiah made their way back into the game. While Abu Al-Shamat’s marauding runs can leave space for opposition wingers, his attacking contributions remain a vital part of Al-Qadsiah’s play. A through ball from a tight angle found Julian Quiñones, who finished to equalize and make his 14th goal contribution in 10 games.
Despite the quick response, Al-Qadsiah struggled to find a way back into the game. Fernando Pacheco stood firm in Al-Fateh’s goal, making four saves on the night, as the hosts fired 19 attempts across the 90 minutes.
A final attempt for Al-Qadsiah came in the closing moments of the game, when Nacho found space inside the box, only for Al-Fateh’s defense to close him down and deny a clear shot at goal.
Brendan Rodgers remains unbeaten since taking charge at Al-Qadsiah, as the Northern Irishman led Al-Qadsiah to eight victories and three draws in his 11 matches at the helm. They face NEOM next in a bid to revitalize their title charge.
Elsewhere, surprise package of the season Al-Taawoun continued a difficult run of form, dropping points in a 1-1 draw to Al-Khaleej. Meanwhile, Al-Kholood completed the double over Al-Shabab, with Abdulaziz Al-Aliwa once again proving decisive by scoring a 78th-minute winner in a 1-0 victory.
The Saudi Pro League takes its first five-day break since the league’s return from hiatus in December, with Matchday 22 getting underway on Thursday. As the title race tightens, Al-Ahli travel to Riyadh to face Al-Shabab, while Al-Hilal host Al-Ettifaq on Friday. Al-Nassr conclude the round on Saturday as they make their way to Al-Hasa to face Al-Fateh.
