Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth got here with the added kicker of Bruno Fernandes being handed a one-game Premier League ban for yellow card accumulation.
The membership captain couldn’t cease himself choosing up a fifth league reserving of the season within the 84th minute of the embarrassing loss, with referee Peter Bankes handing the Portugal worldwide a reserving for dissent.
It means Fernandes will sit out United’s journey to Liverpool subsequent Sunday, when they’ll hope to keep away from a 3rd successive thrashing at Anfield having been overwhelmed 7-0 and 4-0 of their two most up-to-date journeys.
Man Utd final gained a league sport at Liverpool’s well-known dwelling floor in 2016, when Wayne Rooney scored the one aim of the match within the 78th minute. They have misplaced 4 of their final seven away video games towards the Reds, choosing up three goalless attracts however scoring simply as soon as in whole.
Fernandes’ absence might be one other headache for Ten Hag, who has already needed to contort his squad into each form doable attributable to a mass of accidents to this point this marketing campaign. However, the Red Devils first have an enormous sport within the Champions League to navigate.
Fernandes is free to play within the Champions League on Tuesday evening as Man Utd try to leap from fourth to second in Group A.
They face an already certified Bayern Munich outfit that suffered a shock 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. The German giants could also be weak and Thomas Tuchel might look to relaxation a few of his stars, however United’s destiny stays within the palms of others as they want the fixture between Copenhagen and Galatasaray to additionally finish in a draw for them to have any hope of reaching the final 16.
Fernandes has chipped in with two objectives and two assists in 5 group stage video games to this point and extra contributions within the remaining third might be wanted in midweek if United are to proceed enjoying in Europe’s elite membership competitors.
Fernandes has not all the time obtained rave evaluations throughout Man Utd’s journeys to Liverpool and Anfield since he moved to England in 2020. Gary Neville definitely wasn’t impressed in the course of the 7-0 thrashing earlier in 2023.
He informed Sky Sports: “That first 40 minutes was what I would call a classic away performance at Anfield. Manchester United weathered the storm and it looked like they were going to get that goal and go ahead at half-time.
“The second-half has been an absolute shame, a shambles. They haven’t been epitomised greater than Bruno Fernandes, who has been embarrassing – a shambles – on this sport.”
The Portugal international’s suspension could be seen as a plus in that regard, given he was seen feigning injury, appealing for unlikely penalties, acting petulantly with officials and asking to be substituted during that heavy defeat.
Man Utd potential entrance 4 lineups vs Liverpool
(4-2-3-1): Mainoo, Amrabat; Antony, McTominay, Garnacho; Hojlund
(4-2-3-1): Amrabat, McTominay; Antony, Martial, Garnacho; Hojlund
(4-2-3-1): Amrabat, McTominay; Rashford, Martial, Garnacho; Hojlund
In terms of a direct replacement against Liverpool, Ten Hag is still without natural alternative Christian Eriksen due to injury and Donny van de Beek is not threatening to break into the starting XI any time soon. Scott McTominay could be deployed behind a central striker given his goalscoring exploits so far this season, though Ten Hag could also offer up another start to Martial despite the Frenchman’s clear decline in quality in recent years.
Kobbie Mainoo and Sofyan Amrabat could be deployed as the workhorses to attempt to disrupt a lively Liverpool side, though the Reds have not looked entirely convincing in wins over Fulham, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace. Whether Man Utd will have enough spirit and determination in their play to succeed at Anfield without their captain, however, is another thing entirely.
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