2 weeks Ago By Irishexaminer.com
Ruben Amorim is yet to take over as new manager of Manchester United but is presumably beginning to appreciate the size of the task he faces after goalscorer Bruno Fernandes revealed he felt moved to apologise to his predecessor Erik ten Hag this week. The Portuguese playmaker struck from a 70th minute spot kick, awarded after Chelsea’s defence had badly misjudged a Casemiro pass and keeper Robert Sanchez had tripped Rasmus Hojlund as he attempted to round him. There was no question of a VAR reprieve for the visitors and Fernandes sent the keeper the wrong way, converting clinically into the bottom left-hand corner.
But while the manager may have changed in the dug-out, with Ruud van Nistelrooy in temporary command, so many of United’s problems persisted post-ten Hag. One of those has been in defence and when Cole Palmer’s 74th minute corner was headed to the edge of the box, Moises Caicedo was unmarked to volley in a brilliant equaliser through the legs of team mate Mykhailo Mudryk. It was not as though this was a dismal showing by United - as was the case in 3-0 home defeats by Liverpool and Tottenham under ten Hag this season - but the lack of guile and poise in important areas, plus a hurried and toothless attack, is the main cause for concern as Amorim tries to rescue the season.
At least Fernandes had the decency to take responsibility for ten Hag’s demise. “We know that Erik has gone, it is not good for anyone at the club when the manager goes,” he said. “The team is not the best, the results are not the best and he is the one who pays for it.
"Whenever you see a manager go you have to take some of the blame on yourself, it is because the team is not doing so well. “It is easier to get rid of a manager than 15 players. I spoke to the manager and apologised to him, I was disappointed he has gone and I tried to help him.
I wasn’t scoring goals, we are not scoring goals and I feel responsible.” The problems ten Hag left behind were summed up in a first half in which their striker Hojlund failed to touch the ball in the Chelsea area while United had to wait until deep into stoppage time for their first real chance when Marcus Rashford struck the bar. After the break, Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were also guilty of bad misses before the latter sent a scintillating volley over the bar two minutes from time.
But the upshot was that United now have nine league goals this season and only Southampton and Palace have fewer in the league. “We’re slightly disappointed we didn’t score a second with the opportunities we had,” said van Nistelrooy. “But this has been a very difficult week since last Monday.
It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, seeing Erik leave. “I have the obligation, the players feel they have the obligation, to do better, they looked in their mirror and their reactions on Wednesday and today showed they thought about things themselves.” The day could have been worse for United, with Noni Madueke heading a first half Cole Palmer corner against the post and Pedro Neto sending a low strike skidding just wide of the goal after the break.
Enzo Maresca, at least, is ahead of Amorim in the rebuild process and his decision to leave Enzo Fernandez, still the most expensive signing in Premier League history, on the bench was a bold one as he favoured Caicedo and Romeo Lavia in the heart of his midfield. But Chelsea’s lack of concentration in defence finally opened the path for Fernandes to give his side the lead from the penalty spot - with van Nistelrooy running down the touchline to celebrate as if he had just netted himself. The lead lasted only four minutes and, soon after Caicedo’s equaliser, substitute Fernandez missed a perfect opportunity when he chipped well over the goal after a neat lay-off from Nicolas Jackson.
There was still time for Lisandro Martinez to pick up a yellow card - which might well have been red - in stoppage time, for a shocking foul on Palmer that sparked a shoving match between the two sets of players. It was an untidy end to an untidy afternoon. "I think it's quite clear it's a red," said Maresca.
"For me when there is no intention to go for the ball and just go for the player, it's red. "But overall I'm happy. In Italy we say, if you can't win, it's important you don't lose.
In the end we tried everything to win the game but it's important we carry on in this direction." Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Onana 6; Dalot 5, de Ligt 7, Martinez 6, Mazraoui 6; Casemiro 7, Ugarte 5 (Lindelof 84); Garnacho 6, Fernandes 8, Rashford 6 (Diallo 73 5); Hojlund 6 (Zirkzee 84). Substitutes (not used) Amass, Bayindir, Fletcher, Evans.
Fitzgerald, Lindelof, Wheatley, Zirkzee. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez 6; Gusto 7 (Cucurella 46, 6), Fofana 6, Colwill 6, James 7; Caicedo 7, Lavia 8 (Fernandez 70, 5); Madueke 6 (Mudryk 70, 5), Palmer 8, Neto 7; Jackson 6. Substitutes (not used) Badiashile, Felix, Jorgensen, Nkunku, Adarabioyo, Veiga.
Referee: R Jones 7.
