Michael Carrick gushes over Bruno Fernandes after Aston Villa demolition | OneFootball

Manchester United caretaker boss Michael Carrick was full of praise for Bruno Fernandes after his dazzling performance against Aston Villa.

Fernandes masterclass

Fernandes ran the show as United put Villa to the sword in a 3-1 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

Casemiro broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when he headed home Fernandes’ brilliant corner-kick delivery. United were hit back shortly after as Ross Barkley capitalised on the hosts’ failure to clear their lines.

However, United rallied and laid siege to the Villa goal, with Fernandes at the heart of everything.

The Portugal international delivered a sublime ball into the path of the charging Matheus Cunha, who applied the finishing touch to restore United’s advantage.

Benjamin Sesko then came on from the bench and added a third, securing all three points for the Red Devils. United remain in third position in the Premier League, three points above Villa and seven adrift of Manchester City in second place.

Carrick spoke to BBC Match of the Day and gave his verdict on Fernandes and the result.

Carrick’s verdict

The 44-year-old coach said, “I was pretty happy with a lot of things. We looked a good team. Credit to them, they had a couple of spells in the game but for the most part we were dangerous.”

“It was a big game coming off the defeat. The boys reacted incredibly well.”

“Two good teams. It’s not always going to be all guns blazing, edge-of-your-seat stuff. We were in a good place at half-time and wanted a little bit more. We knew we were capable of it and the boys were fantastic to finish it off.”

On Fernandes and Casemiro’s partnership, Carrick remarked, “They have a really good understanding between them. Some things you can coach, some things you can’t.”

Carrick added about the skipper, “We’re delighted to have him. He’s proven over a period of time how impactful he is in the big moments. He’s there all the time, he puts himself forward in training and games.”

“You can always count on him to be there. It’s a really good trait to have. He’s been through ups and downs here but it’s never knocked him. He was there today to make the difference.”

Carrick was questioned about United’s being in pole position ahead of their top-four rivals.

He answered, “We can enjoy winning. It’s a good feeling and something we want to keep getting used to. We are keeping a lid on it and understanding where we are and what it takes to win games like today. We are in a good position at the moment but still a lot to play for.”

United return to action on Friday when they face Bournemouth.

Feature image Lewis Storey via Getty Images

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