Bruno Fernandes urges Manchester United stars not to be selfish after missed chances in Galatasaray thriller

Red Devils skipper has also told his team-mates to accept responsibility for their own mistakes with Champions League hopes hanging by a thread
Frustration: Bruno Fernandes' efforts were in vain as Manchester United drew against Galatasaray
PA
George Flood29 November 2023

Bruno Fernandes has called on his Manchester United team-mates to take responsibility for their mistakes and put the team first after a hugely frustrating clash with Galatasaray.

Erik ten Hag's side twice held a two-goal lead in Wednesday night's crucial Champions League showdown in a wet and windy Istanbul, only to end up drawing a pulsating match 3-3.

The result left United still bottom of Group A and now needing favours from elsewhere in a bid to reach the last-16 of Europe's elite club competition.

United now need to hope that FC Copenhagen don't spring a shock in Munich on Wednesday night and that they beat dominant Bayern - who qualified for the last-16 as group winners with two games to spare - in their final group fixture at Old Trafford on December 12.

But even then, the Red Devils would still need to hope that such a victory is coupled with Copenhagen and Galatasaray drawing on the same night in Denmark.

Wednesday night's epic in Turkey was the latest chapter in a frustrating campaign for United, whose defensive frailties have been clear to see all season.

Per Opta Sports, United's 14 goals conceded in this Champions League campaign is the most ever by an English club after five games and their 33 shipped in all competitions so far this term is their most after 20 games of a season since 1962-63.

And influential captain Fernandes, who assisted Alejandro Garnacho's early strike at Rams Park before netting his own brilliant goal to give United a 2-0 lead and later hit the post as they pushed for a last-gasp winner at 3-3, was left to lament both United's defensive errors and profligacy in attack as he urged a better understanding of game management.

Fernandes also urged his team-mates not to be selfish in pursuit of goals and put the team's needs before their own.

Asked about the mood in the United dressing room after another disappointing result, he told TNT Sports: "I couldn't go to the dressing room because of the doping control, so I don't know.

"But obviously, it's really bad. We conceded really bad goals and I think we have to take control of the situations for all of them. We were on top of the result twice and we had too many chances, far too many to score another goal and have the game closed, but we're not clinical enough.

"Every time we concede a goal, we had many chances to score again and I think at the end of the game, we had like four chances to score a goal.

"But we have to put our heads up and understand that sometimes it's about finding another pass to the player who is free, trying to get the best one in the best position and not taking the chance ourselves. We have to look for the team first and after for ourselves.

"It was another game where we could have closed the game before. We had too many chances, as I've said, and it was mistakes by ourselves on the goals we conceded.

"It's too bad, to be honest. I don't want to be too much negative, but what we've been doing in the Champions League is not enough. We have to control our games every time, it's not the first game we've had like this.

"Even in Copenhagen, I understand we had one player less, but at 3-2 we have to secure the result. We have to understand that in this kind of game on these kind of stages, you have to be smart enough and manage the game better.

"It's many things. It comes from everyone, everyone has to step up and take the responsibility on their own mistakes. We have to look forward to the next game now and see what we can do to go through. Obviously now we don't depend only on ourselves, but it is what it is."

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