Manchester United Manager Erik ten Hag Reveals the Reason Behind Bruno Fernandes’ Role Change
Bruno Fernandes has thrived in a deeper role for Manchester United in recent games as Casemiro and Christian Eriksen return.
Erik ten Hag claims he elevated Bruno Fernandes to a more prominent role to compensate for the absences of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.
Eriksen was out for 10 weeks with an ankle injury, while Casemiro completed his four-game domestic ban in United’s 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday.
When Fernandes was sent off against Southampton last month, he was moved to central midfield alongside Casemiro, but he returned to his usual No.10 role in the FA Cup quarter-final win over Fulham and the Premier League loss at Newcastle.
Ten Hag has started midfielders Marcel Sabitzer and Scott McTominay in all four games Casemiro has been ruled out of, but he switched Sabitzer for Fernandes in the midweek win over Brentford and they remained in the same positions in the dominant win over Everton.
Fernandes was named man of the match against Sean Dyche’s side, and the United talisman has only missed one league game due to suspension this season.
“When you miss players you have to find solutions as a manager, as a coaching staff,” Ten Hag explained. “So now you’re looking. There was no need to bring Casemiro and Eriksen down as long as they were available.
“But when you miss them you have to find a solution to bring the game from the back to get the build up, to progress the ball to attack.
“We found the idea to bring Bruno down deeper and he’s doing brilliant, I think he’s playing really good games.”
Eriksen returned as a second-half substitute against Everton and could reunite with Casemiro in midfield against Sevilla in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals at Old Trafford on Thursday.
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