Manchester United’s Tactical U-Turn: Ten Hag to Reinstate Bruno Fernandes After Injury to Overlook Spurs Defeat
Erik ten Hag has announced that he will be reinstating Bruno Fernandes to the starting lineup, coming off the back of a crushing 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham last month. The decision marks a sharp turnaround, with the Portuguese midfielder serving a one-match suspension after collecting a pair of yellow cards in their 3-3 draw at Porto.
Fernandes’ absence was felt in their 1-1 Europa League draw at Fenerbahce, where the Red Devils were pegged back after previously taking a 1-0 lead. However, the midfielder has since bounced back, helping United draw 0-0 at Aston Villa and securing a thrilling 2-1 win at Brentford in the Premier League.
“We ignore that game against Spurs because we were downsized to ten men with a 1-0 losing position,” explained ten Hag, determined to put the past behind him. “It’s not a fair assessment to the team to take it into consideration, because we didn’t have a chance to bounce back. You see this team is resilient and determined.”
This does little to alleviate the pressure on ten Hag’s job security, which teetered on the brink after the loss to Spurs. Former United skipper Gary Neville publicly pilloried the team’s display, labeling it “absolutely disgusting” and adding “it’s one of the worst performances I have seen under Ten Hag.”
Despite the turmoil, the Dutch tactician remains steadfast in his defense of his team’s ability to come back strong. “I ignore the game against Spurs because we were downsized to ten men with a 1-0 losing position,” he insisted. “We need more players often available. The players, coaching staff, and all the other staff have to do better to get more available players.”
Up next, United face West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday, with several key players set to miss out. Centre-back Harry Maguire, midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, and winger Mason Mount are all unavailable, while Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, and Leny Yoro have yet to feature this season.
As United’s squad struggles to stay healthy, ten Hag is nonetheless convinced that the team can overcome their injury woes. “We know that when we have our players available, we are a very tough team to play and we can be very successful. We have shown that over the last couple of months.” Only time will tell if his strategy will yield the desired results.
