Bruno Fernandes in action against Galatasaray

Bruno: We have to manage the game better

Wednesday 29 November 2023 21:04

Bruno Fernandes believes a lack of control has cost Manchester United dearly at certain times during this season's Champions League group stage.

The Reds twice held two-goal leads against Galatasaray, with the United captain assisting Alejandro Garnacho’s rocket and then finding the net himself during the opening 20 minutes in Istanbul.

Hakim Ziyech halved the deficit with a free-kick before the break, but Scott McTominay then poked home Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross to double our advantage.

Another Ziyech set piece was followed by a brilliant strike from Kerem Akturkoglu and, with United somehow not able to score a fourth in the closing stages, Erik ten Hag’s side had dropped points from a winning position again in this season’s competition.

Our captain conceded that the game management from the players has not been up to scratch, with the Reds also letting slip advantageous positions in the reverse fixture, and against Copenhagen in Denmark.

“It’s too bad, to be honest,” said a disappointed Bruno, in the bowels of RAMS Park.

“I don’t want to be too negative but what we have been doing in the Champions League is not enough. We have to control our games, every time.

“It’s not the first game we have like this. Even in Copenhagen, I understand we had one player less but we score for 3-2 and we have to secure the result.

“We have to understand in this kind of game, on this kind of stage, you have to be smart enough and manage the game better.”

When asked if United had scars from their previous Group A outings, Fernandes preferred to see each fixture in isolation.

He felt that, even with the score at 3-3, we could have found a winner late on in Turkey, if we’d played the right pass at the right time.

“Every time we concede a goal, we have many chances to score again,” Bruno added.

Ten Hag: We should have got over the line Video

Ten Hag: We should have got over the line

Erik ten Hag says United must learn how to manage the game better, after Galatasaray's comeback...

“I think at the end of the game we have like four chances to score a goal.

“We have to put our heads up and understand that sometimes it’s about finding another pass, finding a player that is free, trying to get the one that is in the best position and not taking the chance ourselves.

“We have to look at the team first and afterwards for ourselves.”

Recommended:

  • Report: Galatasaray 3 United 3

     Article

    Read our recap of a madcap but ultimately melancholy night in Istanbul for Ten Hag's Reds.

  • Thornley's take on a dramatic draw Video

    Thornley's take on a dramatic draw

    Match Day Live | Jordan Brown asks Ben Thornley for his take on our end-to-end encounter in Turkey...

  • How we can still qualify Video

    How we can still qualify

    Match Day Live | Sam Homewood, Phil Bardsley and Dion Dublin explore how we can still qualify from the group...

  • McTominay: We'll learn from tonight Video

    McTominay: We'll learn from tonight

    Scott McTominay is gutted not to come away with the win, on a night where he scored his first Champions League goal...