WHEN Bruno Fernandes’s number came up on the substitutes board with just a minute or so of normal time to go in Manchester United’s win against Newcastle on Wednesday night, he was lying flat on the pitch, exhausted.
It was a deserved moment of respite for a player who had not stopped — one who was involved in everything for Manchester United, and one who excelled at all those things.
It also helped run the clock down a bit. Man United appeared safely in possession of three points with the score at 3-1, but this team cannot take any lead for granted given the struggles they have had this season.
The extra few seconds wasted turned out useful. Newcastle pulled a goal back through Lewis Hall, but Man United held on to record a morale-boosting win.
Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund scored the goals to provide a much-needed tonic ahead of their end-of-season FA Cup final meeting with Manchester City, offering a glimpse at a promising future for any optimists remaining among the Man United fanbase.
But steering them all was Fernandes, whose work for the evening wasn’t over even after being replaced by Christian Eriksen in the 90th minute.
As the rest of the squad and staff had gathered in the centre circle after the final whistle, waiting to thank the fans for their support in what has been a difficult season, Fernandes was caught up in an interview with one of the Premier League broadcasters.
It held up proceedings, and as the players waited, and waited, Man United manager Erik ten Hag decided to speed up the process, walking over to the huddle where the interview was taking place, coaxing Fernandes away.
Ten Hag had a speech planned, thanking the fans who sang his name, and building up the excitement ahead of the upcoming meeting with City at Wembley.
“As you know it wasn't an easy season, but one thing remained constant, and that was the backing of you for the team,” Ten Hag said to the fans.
“The season is not over yet, first we travel to Brighton where we hope for three points, and then we go to Wembley.
“I promise you, those players will give everything, everything, to get that cup. To win the cup and bring it to Old Trafford.
“We are sure you will be there supporting us. We thank you, the best supporters in the world.”
It was a rousing speech, as much to motivate the players who stood behind him as for the supporters who had waited in the ground after the final whistle.
It appeared to have the desired effect, on the fans at least. For the players, it remains to be seen.
Defeating City will be a tough ask, but there were occasional signs in this last home game of the season to suggest they can at least cause them a few problems.
On the back of Fernandes’s hard work, enterprise, and creativity, those three promising goalscorers emerged to further a sense of optimism.
Such optimism has usually disappeared as soon as it’s arrived for Man United this season, but the three names on the scoresheet versus Newcastle are among the positives for the club regardless of what happens at Wembley, even after a poor league campaign.
Mainoo broke into the first team this season, receiving initial praise as a young player taking on great responsibility and performing well, before receiving criticism from outside the club, as any first-team starter might, regardless of age, for some of the poor team performances.
His England appearances were even more promising than his club play — an indication of how much better he could be in a settled, organised set-up surrounded by quality players.
His finish against Newcastle, meanwhile, having been given a surprising amount of space from which to execute it, was reassuringly calm and composed.
Amad rifled in Man United’s second after a Fernandes corner was only half-cleared by Jacob Murphy, and substitute Hojlund was the recipient of a Fernandes pass which nutmegged Newcastle midfielder Joelinton, giving the young forward an opportunity to score — one he took well.
It has long been the case that Man United’s success or failure is determined by how well they can build around Fernandes. In Mainoo, Amad and Hojlund, there was a flourish at the end of Fernandes’s mining of attacking opportunities.
It comes from work rate as well as technical ability, and in the 80th minute, the Portuguese could be seen pressing Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier deep in the opposition half on United’s left wing, receiving cheers from the stands as he did.
But Man United need quality as well as potential around Fernandes, and this is the club’s task ahead of next season, as it has been for the past however many seasons. Can they finally get it right?
