Midway through the first half of Manchester United’s attempt to get their first victory at Galatasaray, Bruno Fernandes was putting in what might fairly be termed a captain’s performance.
It was not quite Roy Keane in Turin but there was Champions League progress on the line in a hostile atmosphere and Fernandes had stepped up, making one goal and scoring a breathtaking second.
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At 2-0 up, United could have cruised their way to a win which would have put qualification to the knockout stages firmly in their hands. But this is a team that has great difficulty in squeezing the life from games. They often get loose and allow opponents a way back.
The extent to which Fernandes is responsible for that pattern can be debated. He is, though, a creative force who thrives when playing on the edge, and that impulse can spread throughout the side.
The 27th minute brought a case in point. He had just scored his thunderous goal to put United two ahead and was roaming across the pitch in search of ways to hurt Galatasaray further.
He had found space when Sofyan Amrabat passed his way. He then calmly stroked the ball to Antony on the wing. At that moment, United could have recycled the ball to continue to frustrate Galatasaray. But Antony went down the line to Scott McTominay, which Fernandes took as a trigger to burst forward beyond the four players around him.
Fernandes, 10 yards inside, demanded the return from McTominay. Instead, McTominay tried a cross to Rasmus Hojlund in the box. A deflection took the ball into the arms of Fernando Muslera, who released it quickly to Lucas Torreira and then Fernandes saw the chasm behind.
Fernandes is always a willing runner and he chased back into his own half to put pressure on Torreira. Alejandro Garnacho sprinted to cover too and forced a pass wide to Hakim Ziyech, who became the focus of his attention. This allowed Torreira freedom to keep going and Fernandes, having paused while Garnacho gave chase, was still a few yards off by the time the Galatasaray player got the ball back. This was a crucial gap that forced Fernandes to clip Torreira on the edge of the box.
The moment may have been forgotten had Andre Onana not taken two fatal steps to his left to allow Ziyech’s free kick past him far too easily, but that kind of stretched backtracking has been a familiar sight this season, making it a systemic problem.
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Galatasaray had four players against five for United when Fernandes was chasing Torreira. The issues stemmed from Amrabat having a player to mark as Torreira strode forward, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka also occupied by Wilfried Zaha. The deep defensive line was a contributing factor — so too Victor Lindelof’s decision to stay back rather than push on, prompting Fernandes to do what he did.
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His eventual intervention was the result of fatigued legs, but also some irritation. He instantly sprung round to remonstrate with McTominay over his choice of pass. However right Fernandes may have been to call out McTominay, it portrayed an anxiety rather than the calm United required.
The bigger issue was the space left open by both midfielders being so advanced.
Erik ten Hag had set his team up to score. McTominay, best used as a mobile No 8, was given licence to push into the box. Fernandes operated high up too, and he enjoyed great success early on.
For United’s first goal, Fernandes was the catalyst, exchanging a one-two with Hojlund, attracting four Galatasaray defenders to leave Garnacho free, then slipping a nutmeg assist.
It's that man again 🇦🇷
Alejandro Garnacho's composed strike gives Man Utd an early lead in Turkey!#UCL pic.twitter.com/cYokgzKOKN
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 29, 2023
His goal, having received the ball in the left channel from a Luke Shaw flick, was one of his best for United.
The question is whether Fernandes, as captain, should have taken the initiative to slow the game down. The same can be asked of Ten Hag from the touchline.
Speak to players and coaches, and opinion will be divided on who bears the greatest responsibility — the manager who sets the tactics or the player who can sense the flow of the game?
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Either way, United kept stepping on the gas when the handbrake was there to be pulled. The confusing thing from a United perspective is that Fernandes can identify the problem exactly.
“We have to control our games,” he said after the game. “It’s not the first game we have (lost control) like this. Even in Copenhagen, we had 3-2, you have to be smart enough and manage the game better. Everyone has to step up and take responsibility for their own mistakes.”
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The main mistake Fernandes made was for Galatasaray’s second goal, tripping Ziyech outside the box when United outnumbered Galatasaray six to four. Ziyech was going away from goal and the foul was unnecessary. Onana was a much greater culprit, of course, scooping Ziyech’s free-kick into his own net. But the move again originated from United’s midfield being open.
McTominay lost possession on the far right, and Torreira passed forward quickly to Mauro Icardi who had dropped in, gaining 10 yards due to Lindelof being slow to react. Icardi spread the ball wide, with Fernandes eventually trying to stop Galatasaray’s flow.
Fernandes bemoans United’s mistakes (Ahmad Mora via Getty Images)Kobbie Mainoo had just been introduced for Amrabat. In hindsight, Ten Hag could have taken off McTominay instead and had two holding midfielders guard against Galatasaray’s counter-attacks.
Even at 3-3, United had numerous chances to score but picked the wrong option in the final third. There were shots from range when passes were open. “Sometimes we have to look for the pass,” Fernandes said. “We have to look for the team first and after for ourselves.”
He was guilty himself, though, hitting the post from 20 yards when a pass to Anthony Martial in the middle of the box was possible. That contradiction epitomises this United team: capable of inspiration and absurdity.
Fernandes is a lightning rod for criticism because he wears his pain so evidently on the pitch. But people at the club speak warmly of his character away from the emotion of matches. He encourages as well as cajoles, and he insisted ahead of travelling to Istanbul that he won’t change his ways.
Much of what he does is outstanding. Aside from his goals and assists, he played more minutes than any player in Europe last season. He has missed just one game, through illness, since signing for United in January 2020.
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As he showed against Galatasaray, he has phenomenal energy and commitment. It is just about, together with Ten Hag, being smarter with it.
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(Top photo: Ahmad Mora via Getty Images)
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