Erik Ten Hag Backs Bruno Fernandes To Regain Form For Manchester United
by Sam Pilger · ForbesManchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes his captain Bruno Fernandes will quickly regain his form this season.
The Portuguese midfielder has endured a frustrating start to the season, and so far has failed to score and contributed only one assist in United’s first five Premier League games.
Fernandes was poor in United’s last two games, against Crystal Palace last Saturday where he lost possession a staggering 34 times, and during the week against FC Twente in the Europa League at Old Trafford, but Ten Hag refused to substitute him.
There have been calls for Fernandes, despite having the captain’s arm band, to be dropped from the starting line-up, but Ten Hag plans to stick by him.
"I think he is capable and he has proven himself already so many times in the Premier League,” Ten Hag said. “He can create many chances. I am convinced he will not do differently.”
“He will find his form. He is already creating chances but he will make final passes, he will score goals. 100 per cent and it is just a matter of time."
Overall United have struggled to score goals this season, and have registered just five in the Premier League so far this season.
"We are not scoring goals enough,” Ten Hag admitted. “That is the problem. That is the key area. We have to score goals as a team. I think across the team, we have the ability to score. That is clear, when you see all the opportunities we are creating, we are not scoring enough."
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Despite these problems, Ten Hag remains convinced United will solve them and go on to enjoy a successful season.
"Still now we are working and we are in progress,” he said. “We have to sign players and we made the choice to sign very young players. Like last year, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro are players we believe in for this moment but also for the future and we have to build them. When I started we spoke about more, we had to make a switch in the dressing room.”
“We have turned a corner and we have to work with the squad and that takes time and of course, that is also not good behaviour for me, I am impatient. I want to go straight forward. To be fair, we have also had success in the last two seasons and we have to work very hard to bring further success."
"That is the choice to use young players we have made the last two seasons. I understand the impressions many have for Manchester United, because the history is so big, but that is the choices we have made, and that has also to do with some financials, and other restrictions we have to deal with. We made a choice for young players, and the young players are not in the level, you can't expect them to be, we have to improve them, and they have to improve themselves.”
“And we have to find a team that can be successful on a consistent base. And this team, in the last two years, they've shown they can do it, on occasions, and on occasions we can win trophies, but we have to get more consistent."
On Sunday at Old Trafford United will face Tottenham Hotspur who have so far had a similar season and have the same seven points after five games.
"I think it will be a very intense game,” Ten Hag said. “It is always against Tottenham and I think it is also our style as well. So I think it is going to be a very dynamic, attractive game."
"Every opponent has strengths and weaknesses and Tottenham have their strengths in their philosophy. That is very clear. They are very attacking but that leaves also space. That is what we take into account that can maybe help but you have to be very good against Tottenham. We want to control the game and you need the high performance level. We will create again I am sure but we need to take our chances."