Aniket Rai
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals reasoning behind bringing Bruno Fernandes off vs Liverpool
Speaking in the post-match press conference (h/t Metro), Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stated that the decision to bring Bruno Fernandes off against Liverpool was not an effort at time-wasting.
United started their derby against Liverpool on Sunday in a conservative fashion. The team sat back and soaked pressure for the first 45 minutes as Liverpool bombarded the United box.
It turned out to be a game of two halves as the Red Devils dominated proceedings in the second half. United had two gilt-edged opportunities at the end to win the game.
Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes were both denied by Alisson Becker from close range. The Portuguese midfielder, however, had an uncharacteristically poor game.
Bruno way off the mark
He misplaced 58% of his passes, the most by any player in the match who started from the kick-off. And the manager decided to sub him off in the 89th minute of the game in place of Mason Greenwood.
The 26-year-old seemed to delay his substitution as Scott McTominay was down receiving treatment. He then proceeded to rant in the direction of the touchline and did not look pleased sitting in the dugout.
However, Solskjaer stated that the only reason to bring him off was to tactically change the game in an effort to secure all three points.
“It was a tactical decision… Towards the end we felt Paul [Pogba]’s physical presence in there might be a chance for us. And Mason, when he gets a chance he can score in the blink of a second.”
Solskjaer’s explanation seems understandable as United were on the ascendancy and seemed like grabbing the winner.
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Moreover, that substitution was United’s third of the game, and the team would have had to play on with just 10 men had Fernandes gone off and McTominay was forced off later with an injury.
