RUBEN AMORIM CONFIRMS: BRUNO FERNANDES KEEPS PENALTY DUTIES DESPITE MISSES
Man United boss Ruben Amorim confirms Bruno Fernandes remains his main penalty taker despite recent misses. The manager backs his captain ahead of a crucial trip to face Liverpool at Anfield.
Bruno Fernandes is the penalty taker for Manchester United, and Ruben Amorim maintains that he has complete faith in him.
Up until this season, when he has missed two of his three penalties—in a draw with Fulham and a loss to Brentford—the Portuguese has been dependable from the spot throughout his Red Devils career.
Amorim laughed and continued, "I know that is not easy for him, but I guess he had 70 penalties, and he missed like nine, two with me, so I am extremely unhappy with that."
However, he exudes confidence. In order to be prepared, he is practising the penalties and attempting to comprehend that others are observing how he scores them. We have more players who can also score a penalty if necessary.
When asked if Fernandes would retain the responsibility, Amorim responded, "Yes, he is the main taker." United had added forwards Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko in the summer, all of whom could fill in.
He is passing right now and scores a lot of goals and penalties. We can do something else. Once more, we can adjust if necessary, but I have complete faith that Bruno will resolve that.
Fernandes, meanwhile, was singled out by Amorim as being out of the ordinary among his players in terms of attending a lot of games.
"I think that is normal," the 40-year-old said, expressing his belief that other distractions have taken over.
"There are many diversions now, and everything is different. They probably do not watch many sports. You have players like Bruno, who follow every game on TV and keep an eye on his teammates.
"However, there are those guys who play really well; it is okay if they want to try something else."
When United plays Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, they will try to accomplish something they have not been able to do under Amorim yet: win consecutive Premier League games.
After losing three straight games heading into the international break, Arne Slot's team is similarly anxious for a win, and the home crowd will do their best to frighten the visitors.
Amorim, who managed a 2-2 draw at Anfield the previous season, trusted his team to cope with the commotion.
'We showed last year that we could, and I believe that how we begin the game matters more than the surroundings,' he stated.
The atmosphere will undoubtedly be noisy if they get a corner or an opportunity, but we are prepared to play with that. If you look at last year—not this year, but last year—you can see that we occasionally perform better there than under pressure at home, so you never know what will happen.
It is crucial to get off to a strong start, warm up well, have a gut instinct, and realise that the opening few minutes of the game will be difficult. Therefore, even though I am aware that they are prepared, we still need to get ready for the effect, particularly at the start of the game.
GARETH BARRY URGES MANCHESTER UNITED TO SIGN ELLIOT ANDERSON FOR £100M
Gareth Barry identifies Elliot Anderson as the ideal Casemiro replacement as the Brazilian prepares to leave Man Utd.
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Gareth Barry, the former Premier League midfielder, thinks Manchester United should target Elliot Anderson to take Casemiro’s place. Casemiro, now 34, already said he’s leaving Old Trafford when his contract ends this summer.
United’s decision not to extend Casemiro’s deal fits with their plan to shake up the squad. They paid Real Madrid an initial £60 million for him in 2022, and with add-ons, the deal reached £70 million. Casemiro’s on big wages around £300,000 a week, which gets closer to £350,000 if United make the Champions League. There’s also uncertainty about Manuel Ugarte’s future. With both potentially on the way out, plenty of names are being floated as replacements.
Carlos Baleba, Sandro Tonali, and Adam Wharton are all in the conversation, but Barry sees Anderson as the best option.
Talking to BOYLE Sports, Barry explained, “Manchester United will definitely be searching for someone to fill Casemiro’s shoes. Anderson isn’t the same kind of player, and there’s a big age difference, too. What he brings is pretty unique.
“I really rate Elliot Anderson. If you’re a United scout, you’re talking about him. Off the ball, there aren’t many better. He presses, he shuts down space, and he’s great at winning the ball back. Plus, he can play forward too.
“That’s why Thomas Tuchel starts him for England over some big names, and why he could easily start at the World Cup. I’m sure he’s getting discussed in various boardrooms, not just at Manchester United.
“If a move’s going to happen, it’s better to get it over the line quickly. It just makes everything smoother for both clubs and the player, especially with a big tournament coming up.”
Barry added, “No one wants uncertainty hanging over Anderson while he’s focused on England at the World Cup. It doesn’t help anyone. And if he has a standout tournament, his price could easily go up.
“So if everyone agrees it’s time for a move, getting the deal sorted before the World Cup just makes sense.”
Even so, Nottingham Forest won’t be keen to let Anderson go. Since joining Newcastle in 2024, he’s become a vital part of their midfield. Forest supposedly set its price at £100 million, but their relegation fight could change things. Right now, Vitor Pereira’s squad sits 16th in the table, just three points clear of the drop zone with seven games to play. names and
FA CHARGES HARRY MAGUIRE FOR "IMPROPER BEHAVIOR" FOLLOWING COSTLY BOURNEMOUTH DISMISSAL
Michael Carrick’s side faces a defensive crisis as Harry Maguire is charged by the FA for improper conduct.
Harry Maguire has been charged by the Football Association over his conduct following the red card he received in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth.
The defender was sent off after officials judged that he pulled back Evanilson inside the penalty area during their Premier League meeting last month. Maguire challenged the decision with both referee Stuart Atwell and fourth official Matt Donohue once VAR confirmed the call.
That penalty allowed Junior Kroupi to score the equaliser, helping Bournemouth claw back a point against Michael Carrick’s side.
According to an FA statement, Maguire faces charges relating to improper behaviour and/or the use of abusive or insulting language towards the fourth official after his dismissal. He has until April 2 to respond to these allegations.
As things stand, Maguire is due to serve a one-match ban for the red card, which would rule him out of Manchester United's game against Leeds at Old Trafford on April 13. If his ban is extended following this charge, he could also miss the clash with Chelsea on April 18, an encounter that could be crucial, given United sit third and hold a seven-point cushion over sixth-placed Chelsea in the battle for Champions League spots.
Earlier, Daily Mail Sport reported that Manchester United lodged a formal complaint with the PGMOL after the Bournemouth draw. The club were particularly frustrated over a denied second penalty, where Amad Diallo appeared to be brought down in the box while they led 1-0. Bournemouth then equalised through Ryan Christie in the ensuing play, and a VAR review did not overturn the decision, which may have swung momentum considerably.
Inside the United camp, there’s a sense that Maguire’s foul, which led to Bournemouth's second equaliser, mirrored the unpunished challenge on Diallo involving Adrien Truffert. That comparison fuels their belief that some decisions during the game didn’t go their way.
