Ruben Amorim indebted to Bruno Fernandes after latest Man Utd rescue act
Ruben Amorim indebted to Bruno Fernandes after latest Man Utd rescue act
Share:
It was a captain’s intervention when Ruben Amorim needed one, it was a leader’s intervention to spare his countryman more ignominy. When Manchester United and Amorim faced further embarrassment, the skipper stepped up. He gets enough criticism, Fernandes, much of it fully warranted.
But he leads with his talent and his perfectly-struck volley from a sweet Lisandro Martinez pass in added time gave a relieved Amorim the most needed of victories after Cyriel Dessers had, moments earlier, struck a dramatic equaliser. There can be no disguising how unconvincing this United performance was, but there can be no understating how important the victory is for Amorim. And as well as thanking his captain, Amorim also owes a debt of gratitude to Jack Butland, who probably always fancied being a darling of the Stretford End during his five months with Manchester United but was never given a chance by Erik ten Hag.
Unfortunately for himself and Rangers, Butland’s moment came a good year and a half after his loan spell at Old Trafford ended. On the ropes, United needed a lucky punch and Butland delivered, aiming a right-hander at a Christian Eriksen corner-kick early in the second half and only succeeding in sending it back into his own net. Perhaps this is what happens to keepers who head north.
In a way, it was harsh on Butland, who also made a few decent saves but it was a terrible error after Rangers had looked comfortable. It is a measure of United’s mediocrity that they routinely surrender chances to visiting sides that have obvious limitations.
