Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has admitted that his side were below-par despite defeating Nottingham Forest 3-2 on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Devils found themselves 2-0 behind after less than five minutes had been played at Old Trafford. But they quickly turned the game around, clinching all three points thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and Fernandes.
After the full-time whistle, the Portuguese international claimed that his side need to stop conceding early, something that their next opponents, Arsenal, also did over the weekend. “It wasn’t the perfect start for us but we kept control, kept the ball and started doing the right things,” he said after the game..
“They defended well with a lot of players and it was difficult to get through, but we got the result and that’s the most important thing. I knew we had time to change the situation, but we kept calm.
“We started to keep the ball at the back and gain confidence, and after that the game was always on our side. We created a lot of shots in the first half. Overall, the performance was really good apart from those [first] four minutes.
“We know what it means to be a Manchester United player. We know this shirt demands a lot and we are ready for that. The team showed great spirit, passion and desire.
“We just need to be aware that we can’t concede so early.” Erik ten Hag’s men travel to the Emirates Stadium next Sunday, a game that the home side won 3-2 last season.
But the Gunners endured a difficult afternoon yesterday, also conceding during the opening exchanges of their 2-2 draw against Fulham.
Mikel Arteta and Co will be hoping to bounce back next weekend having thrown away their 2-1 lead in the 87th minute, despite the Cottagers playing the final few minutes of the match with just ten men after Calvin Bassery’s red card.
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