Ruben Amorim comments prove he knows what Manchester United fans are expecting from him
Where would Manchester United be without Bruno Fernandes? It is a question every United supporter should be asking themselves.
For a start, they would not have gone into the half-time interval against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon with a 1-0 lead. His brilliant free-kick in the second minute of added time marked his third goal in his last five games and it lit up a forgettable first half.
Prior to Leandro Trossard tripping Alejandro Garnacho on the edge of the box, United had offered next to nothing inside the final third, so much so the first half ended with Arsenal having enjoyed 67 per cent of the ball. United registered an xG (expected goals) of just 0.10.
Setting up in their traditional 3-4-2-1 shape, United set up with the intention of frustrating their visitors; they sat in a low black and were happy to surrender possession.
Arsenal enjoyed plenty of the ball, moving it sideways and backwards, but they struggled to unlock a relatively stubborn United defence.
But when United occasionally ventured over the halfway line, they often found themselves immediately going backwards. A prime example was when Diogo Dalot had the ball high up on the left and decided to work the ball backwards when he had a chance to cross.
Chants of 'Attack, attack, attack' have been a familiar soundtrack this season, and United's fans would have been within their rights to start chanting it again prior to half-time on Sunday. United set up like a team who knew they were underdogs, recognising just how far they have fallen this season.
United supporters still flock to Old Trafford with the expectation of being entertained - but that has rarely been the case this season. In the second half, however, as the game became stretched