Fernandes scores twice as Manchester United beats Roma 3-2
The midfielder converted two penalties to lead a late comeback after serving a one-game suspension following a dispute with manager Michael Carrick.
By Priya Marino ·
Bruno Fernandes converted two penalties to help Manchester United defeat Roma 3-2 at Old Trafford on Wednesday. The victory marked the club's first win in ten matches and halted a losing streak that had threatened to become the longest in a single season since March 1978. Matheus Cunha scored the final two goals of the game to secure the result.
The Portuguese midfielder had been omitted from the starting lineup for the previous fixture against Bournemouth. Carrick explained that the decision was based on performance rather than the comments Fernandes made in a post-match interview after United's 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League. Fernandes, who was an unused substitute in the Bournemouth game, accepted the temporary demotion.
"The manager took a decision of making myself on the bench because I wasn’t performing. And that’s fair," Fernandes said. "Everyone felt like that was a punishment for the words that I had [after Como]. And if it was, it was right."
Fernandes stated that the incident did not alter his confidence in the coaching staff or his objective to win upcoming matches. He emphasized that the team needed the points for collective reasons rather than to rescue the manager's position. "We don’t need to save anyone’s job," he said. "The club needed that win. The players needed that win. It is something we needed as a group of players and staff."
The atmosphere at Old Trafford was charged with tension as fans staged protests against the club's ownership during the match. Carrick noted that the venue has a history of producing dramatic results when the team plays with determination. He described the second-half surge as a testament to the stadium's influence on the team's performance.
Carrick also praised substitute Shea Lacey, a 19-year-old who provided the assist for Cunha's winning goal. Lacey made his tenth senior appearance in the match. "We love him to bits," Carrick said. "He’s a great young man, he’s desperate to do well, he’s got great ability. He’s got that little glint in the eye, he plays with a bit of mischief if you like."
United's next fixture will see them return to Premier League play, where they seek to consolidate their momentum following the European victory.
