Bruno Fernandes reveals his thoughts on penalty misses and deeper role | OneFootball

The normally ever-reliable Bruno Fernandes has not enjoyed the best of starts to the current season.

The Manchester United skipper has been utilised as part of a double pivot alongside Casemiro, and while his chance creation stats remain top-notch, he is having to play further away from goal and having to take on greater defensive duties.

And while he enjoys a warm and cordial relationship with Ruben Amorim, the Portugal international is reportedly not too happy with the deeper role.

And that has often boiled over during games, with the 31-year-old missing two penalties out of three this Premier League campaign.

Penalty misses

The first came against Fulham, where his shot sailed way over the bar. The game ended 1-1 despite the Red Devils creating chances galore.

The second miss proved to be even more decisive, as the 20-time English league champions crashed to a 1-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford.

United had the chance to make it 2-2, but Caoimhín Kelleher guessed the right way and stopped what was a weak attempt from the club captain.

Bruno Fernandes, while speaking to reporters during international duty, admitted that he has not been as clinical as he should have been and will work harder to fix the problem.

“This season, out of three [penalties], I ended up missing two,” Fernandes was quoted as saying by ESPN. “I don’t want to miss any of them. It’s something I need to study better.

Time to introspect

“I’ll always do it with full conviction because there’s a coach who trusts me. He (Kelleher) was stronger. He did very well, and I didn’t. But it’s not something that affects my head.”

This sort of introspection will please United fans, who will be aware that their talisman never falls short of giving his 100 per cent in every game.

Naturally, questions were asked about his new deeper role and the pressures of trying to get United back to the top, to which Fernandes replied, “I feel good in Manchester, I love the pressure.

“It means the goal is bigger, and I’m a person who enjoys challenges. I love representing the national team, it’s a source of pride. The pressure is the same whether I play for Portugal or for my club. The goal is the same: to win.”

“I like playing football, regardless of the position, I’ll do my best. Everyone has favorite positions. In a space with a lot of quality, you have to adapt.

On new position

“I played these positions with [coach] Jorge Jesus at Sporting. When you see from the front, you can find more space, the risk is lower.

“When I play as a No. 10, the goal is to create plays, to finish. I adapt to the team game. The most important thing is to win, I want to play my best.”

Hopefully, the midfielder can prove his critics wrong once again, as United gear up to face fierce rivals Liverpool away at Anfield next Sunday.

Feature image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images

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