Just when further difficulties seemed for struggling manager Erik ten Hag, Manchester United’s captain Bruno Fernandes saved the day on Wednesday, scoring twice in a 4-2 home victory over Sheffield United, the bottom team in the Premier League.
Man United fell behind a team that was expected to return to the Championship quickly twice;
Jayden Bogle and Ben Brereton Diaz both found the back of the net for the visitors, but Fernandes saved the day on both occasions.
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After Harry Maguire was fouled, resulting in United’s first equaliser, he equalised from the penalty spot in the 61st minute.
After putting his team ahead with a blistering left-footed shot, Fernandes set up Rasmus Hojlund to finally bring their struggling opponents to heel.
Ten Hag’s team, who have now given up 50 league goals, put on another lacklustre performance, but the win put them above of Newcastle United and into sixth position, keeping them in the running for a European qualification spot.
Sheffield United put on a great display of heart and skill on the pitch, but Chris Wilder’s team is running out of time.
With just 16 points from 34 games, they will be relegated this coming weekend if they lose to Newcastle.
Some referred to United’s FA Cup semi-final victory on penalties as embarrassing as they let go a 3-0 lead against Coventry City, a lower division team, and were only kept from defeat by an arguably disallowed goal in extra time.
This week, Ten Hag came back swinging, calling the criticism shameful, but the Dutchman seemed to be gazing into the abyss as his team once more created difficulties for themselves.
As chances fell to nothing and Sheffield keeper Wes Foderingham made three outstanding saves, including one from teenager Kobbie Mainoo and one from Diogo Dalot in the first minute, they should and should have been comfortably ahead.
However, United’s tendency to shoot themselves in the foot reappeared in the 35th minute when Dalot was the target of a pass intended for keeper Andre Onana, but it was underhit, allowing the alert Bogle to race through and score.
Alejandro Garnacho, one of the bright spots in an otherwise disappointing season, sent in a low cross that Maguire deftly nodded in with his head to tie the score for United just before the half.
Five minutes into the second half, Ben Osborn cut back a pass that allowed Brereton Diaz to stab high into the net, again exposing United’s defenders.
From the directors box, one can only image what head of football operations Dave Brailsford and new technical director Jason Wilcox made of United’s startled appearance.
However, Fernandes stepped up to strike his kick into the corner as Maguire fell down in the box, giving United a lifeline. After that, Hojlund, who scored the game-winning penalty on Sunday, drove in Fernandes’s ball, and Fernandes displayed his class with a stunning finish, allowing United to finally breathe easy.