Bruno keen to focus on next challenge
After a hard-fought Emirates FA Cup contest which saw 10-man Manchester United emerge victorious on penalties against Arsenal, our captain Bruno Fernandes was quick to switch his attention to the next challenge we face.
With three upcoming home fixtures in a row, the Reds now have a chance to build momentum in the second half of the season.
Speaking to both MUTV and the BBC, our no.8 stated that now is the time to “focus”.
The midfielder said: “I know we want to celebrate and everything, but our focus is now on Southampton [on Thursday] - that is when we have to back it up.”
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After heroic performances in our last two games, which included an assist in last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Anfield and a first goal at the Emirates Stadium, the Portuguese international admitted those displays come with a natural desire to perform on the biggest stages.
“The big games against Liverpool [and] Arsenal, everyone steps up because it is a big game. We suffered a lot but we sacrificed as a team, and at the end you get this. You want to be in these kinds of games, you want to be involved, you want to be the best but we have to do it in Old Trafford with these fans again.
“We have to give it back to the club. We need to do it every week, every game.”
Altay Bayindir stood out at the Emirates Stadium with some important saves - including from Martin Odegaard’s second-half penalty and Kai Havertz’s spot-kick in the shootout.
"It's a big moment for him, the first penalty and another save here and we are really happy for him,” said Bruno.
“It's tough to be second goalkeeper, he came here to play. Whenever he gets his chance, he's top class for us, he's top class in training, he's always available for everyone and he truly deserves this moment.”
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Now that United are through to the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup, in which we will face Leicester at Old Trafford, Bruno also reiterated the team’s desire to win the competition for the second season in a row.
“We want to go to Wembley again and climb those steps like we did last season. Hopefully we will get through all the rounds, but obviously our focus has to be on the next game.”
After battling for 120 minutes against the Gunners, Ruben Amorim’s side now prepare for a return to Premier League action against the Saints on Thursday, when kick-off is at 20:00 GMT.