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Bruno Fernandes comments speak volumes about Man Utd star amid Liverpool threat
COMMENT: Bruno Fernandes is proving to be a perfect Erik ten Hag player at Manchester United as Liverpool pose a Champions League threat.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reviews the Aston Villa game
Bruno Fernandes has the perfect mentality to be Erik ten Hag's talisman at Manchester United; that much has been made abundantly clear since his £47million arrival in 2020. He's one of those players that his fans love to love, and rivals hate to hate. And the United support loves Fernandes.
United took a huge step toward Champions League football by beating Aston Villa 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Fernandes scored the winning goal as the Red Devils inflicted Villa's first defeat in 11 games under Unai Emery.
Ten Hag and Co.'s primary aim is a top-four finish before the mammoth FA Cup final against Manchester City on June 3.
But Fernandes made it clear that trophies were always on his and the dressing room's mind after getting his first taste of silverware as a United player in February's Carabao Cup final.
He said: "Our aim is always to win trophies, and this year, although our aim is to win the Premier League, that is not there anymore, so we have to aim for the top four and the FA Cup final."
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The 28-year-old also insisted that the players among Ten Hag's ranks 'deserve' to play in Europe's premier competition.
He produced 90 minutes against Tottenham Hotspur and Villa just days after wearing a protective boot from a knock suffered in the FA Cup semi-final win against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Fernandes confirmed that he was playing through the pain in the aftermath, similar to Marcus Rashford's commitment across prolonged spells under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It goes a long way to prove they are just two stars at Ten Hag's disposal, ready to run through a brick wall for the Dutchman.
Winning trophies should be mandatory at Old Trafford. An obsession, in fact. And it goes without saying that Fernandes boasts that trait.
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When Ten Hag arrived last summer, he stressed the importance of building a squad full of 'characters' after United had whimpered to their worst-ever Premier League campaign last May.
There have been relapses this term - trips to Manchester City, Liverpool and Sevilla, to name a few. There was always going to be.
But the proof is in the pudding of the character that Ten Hag has built in the foundations of his project in M16.
And Fernandes is United's Victoria Sponge. An ever-reliable fan favourite with the ability to send supporters home with a slice of flair.
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