Bruno Fernandes takes swipe at former Man Utd bosses and thanks Erik ten Hag for restoring confidence after shock demise
BRUNO FERNANDES says Erik ten Hag has restored confidence at Manchester United after it plummeted under former managers.
United were Premier League runners-up in 2021 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but he was sacked after a bad start last season.
The team ended up on 58 points under successor Ralf Rangnick — their lowest total in Premier League history.
But Ten Hag came in last summer and has made them title hopefuls again.
Midfielder Fernandes, who scored in Wednesday’s 1-1 at Crystal Palace, said: “The last two seasons were difficult and players’ confidence really low, and I think that’s why results weren’t coming.
“I think the team now is confident and players are playing really good.
“They’re doing what they have to do and what the manager’s asked us to do and we must carry on with that, it’s a responsibility.”
The midweek draw was a blow to United’s title tilt as it leaves them eight points off leaders Arsenal, having played a game more.
They can cut it to five points with a win at the Emirates on Sunday but Fernandes says they are just taking it a game at a time after the Eagles’ late leveller.
The Portugal star, 28, added: “We can’t be affected by a result that was not the way we would like it to be as we’re doing great things.
“United was in a race to win this game, but we didn’t.
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
“Now our race is to win the next one, that’s our race — game by game, three days by three days — we just have to move on to the next one.
“We can only do the counting at the end of the season so we have to win every game we have.
“And the next one is Arsenal away.”