Bruno Fernandes scored a goal and provided an assist but gave the ball away for Leicester's equaliser in Manchester United's 2-2 draw at the King Power Stadium. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed afterwards that he must accept the risks in Fernandes' game
Sunday 27 December 2020 13:21, UK
Bruno Fernandes produced another dominant performance with a goal and an assist in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw against Leicester – but still had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer tearing his hair out.
The Portuguese playmaker did not have it all his own way at the King Power Stadium - being dispossessed in the build-up to Harvey Barnes' first-half equaliser.
Fernandes gave the ball away on the edge of his own area and the Manchester United manager acknowledged afterwards that he has to take the rough with the smooth.
"He is definitely a player who impacts results," said Solskjaer. "He creates chances, scores goals and takes risks - which any Manchester United player should be allowed to do and be brave enough to do. He is definitely a brave boy. He sees the pass.
"Sometimes I might tear my hair out and say that there is an easier pass to the right or to the left or back but you cannot take that away from Bruno. You want him to be the x-factor who has players ahead of him making runs so I am very pleased with his influence this season and this year. He is always there supporting his team-mates as well.
"That is also part of the team. He does have players ahead of him making runs and giving him opportunities to play those passes. It is not just down to Bruno. We have to remember that he has come into a team that helps him as well. We all have a role to play and he is playing his role to the best of his ability."
In regard to the game itself, in which Leicester's late equaliser, an Axel Tuanzebe own goal after he deflected Jamie Vardy's shot into the net, denied United second spot in the Premier League table, Solskjaer felt his players deserved more for their efforts.
"The boys are flat in the dressing room, of course, because we did create enough chances in the game to score more goals. I thought we defended well but then they had that one moment at the end. Great movement by Vardy and then he got lucky when it hit Axel and deflected. You cannot switch off against quality players.
"We created chances. I thought it was a good game of football, end to end, two teams that are quick on the counter-attack, quick on the transition. It was a bit end to end and we never got control, for me, in the first half, definitely. In the second half, I thought we controlled the game better.
"With the chances that we create you expect us to score more goals and with the chances they create you certainly don't expect them to score any more so I am a bit disappointed that we could not keep them out when they did not create many big chances. I am also disappointed that we did not score on the big moments that we had.
"The first goal we should have got up to Harvey Barnes quicker. I don't think that is game management, I think it is individual moments.
"The pressure on the ball for the first one was not good enough. We could have blocked him, of course. The second one as well we could have stopped the cross. We were maybe a little unlucky with the deflection.
"When you score as many as we do you have to accept that you open up a little bit at times. If you win 3-2 you are happier than with a 0-0."
Another frustration for Solskjaer was an apparent shoulder injury to Marcus Rashford in the closing stages of the game that could be a problem with the next game coming at home to Wolves on Tuesday.
"He felt his shoulder a bit, the lad tugged his arm which he felt. Hopefully, it won't be too bad because he made a full sprint afterwards so hopefully he will recover quickly."
Rashford netted the opening goal of the game, his 50th in the Premier League for United, and Solskjaer once again praised his contribution.
"Both as a player and a person, Marcus has been absolutely brilliant. We are very proud of him as a human being and as a player I think his stats say everything. Today, he was always a threat and we created chances, he created chances for others. I am very pleased for Marcus."
