Pranav Nair
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes urges Bruno Fernandes to step up in big games
According to The Express, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes believes Bruno Fernandes should step up against top-class opposition in order to boost his side’s title hopes.
The Portuguese international has been Untied’s best player since he joined the club last January. He has since made 53 appearances for us so far, scoring 28 goals and 18 assists. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Fernandes has a tally of 11 games and eight assists in the Premier League this season as United look to mount an unexpected title push. However, just one of those goal contributions have come against the big six.
“Bruno Fernandes has been disappointing in every single one of them.”
Scholes believes Fernandes must step up his game against these sides if United are to end their wait for a 21st league title.
“I think in the last five games against big teams he’s had no goals, no assists.”
While Fernandes has undoubtedly scored bucketfuls of goals, many of them decisive, Scholes is not wrong in pointing out this fact. While Fernandes may have scored the winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup, he failed miserably in the league fixture at Anfield a week prior.
In fact, both of his goals against top-six sides in all competitions have come from set-pieces. Fernandes dispatched a penalty against Tottenham before converting a free-kick against Liverpool.
Given his contribution, such criticism may be unfair. But unless we beat the teams closest to us, chances of winning silverware will prove difficult.
Fernandes is undoubtedly a top player. Unless he steps up regularly against top-class opposition, he will run the risk of being tagged as a flat-track bully.
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United take on Southampton in what is a potential banana skin fixture tonight. Hopefully, Fernandes will go on to drop yet another match-winning fixture to silence his critics.
