Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I WANT IT LOUD & PROUD
Fernandes admits he has an empty feeling saying: I’ve only scored three in front of a crowd.. I’m really missing the atmosphere of the fans.. I only hear from them at the SUPERMARKET
BRUNO FERNANDES has admitted the gloss has been taken off the stunning start to his Manchester United career by the absence of fans.
Fernandes has played just four matches in front of fans at Old Trafford since joining from Sporting Lisbon a year ago.
Only three of his 30 goals for United have come in front of an audience, with supporters denied the chance to celebrate at games because of the shut-out caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Asked if he felt robbed of the thrill of scoring in front of United followers, Fernandes said: “No, just a little bit disappointed.
“Coming to the Premier League, coming to play for Manchester United, coming for the atmosphere of match day... I’m not living that at all. I’m feeling the support on social media and sometimes when I go to the supermarket they will speak to me, but not at the games
“It’s really good when you have that support but of course it would be much better coming from the stands. When you score you want to celebrate with them.
“Some players when they score don’t have that urge to celebrate because there’s nobody there.
“But one of the things the fans told me when we started to play behind closed doors is that, when you score, you need to celebrate like we’re there with you. So I’m trying to do that.
“Sometimes it’s difficult because you’re not in the mood and maybe you don’t feel it, but I’m trying to imagine that they are there.”
The 26-year-old Portuguese international was a revelation for United in the second half of last season after joining them in Janaury.
He’s been so influential this term that he is the hot favourite to win the PFA player of the year award.
Second-placed United, who travel to West Brom tomorrow, are five points behind leaders Manchester City, who are on an unbelievable run of form.
It will be a huge task for them to close the gap – bookmakers rate City the 1-16 title favourites, with United 16-1 – but Fernandes urged them to keep on winning to keep the chasing pack at arm’s length.
“I think if you want to do something special in the league, you have to win your own games and not worry what others are doing,” he said. “Then, at the end, you count up the points.
“You have to win your own games. You can’t think that someone might drop points there or someone else will drop points here and maybe we go above them or whatever.
“All that matters is winning your own games. if you win your games then the ones who are behind you will never catch you and the ones who are in front of you may drop points and you can edge closer.
“For me, it’s about being the best Manchester United we can be. This is the main point – it’s about being the best Manchester United we can – so we have to look at ourselves.”
BRENDAN RODGERS says Leicester are not planning any ambushes on Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.
The Brazilian came under fire for two massive mistakes in three minutes to gift victory to title rivals Manchester City on Sunday.
Now they face Rodgers’ title-chasing Foxes, with the former Anfield boss dismissing any suggestion that Alisson might be a dodgy keeper.
“When I look at Alisson over the time I’ve seen him he’s been superreliable,” said the Leicester boss.
“Even the best keepers make mistakes. It tells you how reliable he is by the fact that people are now focusing on his mistakes, because they don’t happen very often. He’s still a top keeper and will have put that stuff behind him already.”
Leicester have been dealt a huge blow with news that James Justin (above) faces a long lay off with a cruciate injury. The 22-year-old is in London being examined by specialists before having surgery on his ACL.
The England Under-21 defender, who has been one of the outstanding performers this season, was taken off on a stretcher in the FA Cup win over Brighton on Wednesday.
At the time, boss Rodgers (top) revealed that the medical staff were hoping that scans would show the injury was not as bad as first feared. But he said: “The scan hasn’t shown up so well. It looks like he has done his ACL, which is a devastating blow for us because he has been incredible.
“He was upset. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have been too far away from Gareth Southgate’s thoughts.
“He is tough mentally and he’ll come back a better player for it.”
Rodgers and Klopp shared an emotional phone call this week, with the
Leicester manager passing on his sympathy over the death of
Klopp’s mother.
Rodgers said: “It was really sad news. I lost my mum and it’s a really difficult moment.
“But for him not to be able to travel back home just made it unimaginably worse. I wanted to share my condolences with him.”
RED FACED Liverpool’s Brazilian keeper Alisson came under fire for two massive mistakes that gifted Manchester City victory at Anfield on Sunday
JURGEN KLOPP takes charge of Liverpool for the 300th time today as the manager with the best overall record in the club’s history.
But as he reaches another milestone, the last thing on his mind is his remarkable achievement in eclipsing Anfield legends Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Kenny Dalglish and Joe Fagan.
Klopp has a better win percentage and points-per-game average than those all-time greats – even Dalglish, whose second spell in charge damaged his own imperious record. But amid his side’s current worrying slump, the German coach said of his giant-eclipsing record: “Right now it doesn’t feel too good, I can tell you.”
In reaching 300 games he is the ninth-longest-serving boss in Anfield history, and his win rate of 59.2 per cent tops the lot. Dalglish, over two spells as manager, is next with 58.27 per cent, Paisley 57.57 and Rafa Benitez 56.28.
Klopp also has the best points-per-game record, at 2.01, using a uniform three points for a win, with Dalglish on 2. His teams have also scored more goals per game than any other manager in Reds history.
But even though that record puts him up there with the all-time greats, the Reds boss knows past results count for nothing. “I know that my job is the present and the future and not the past,” he said. “Game number 300 is very important to me and games 1-299 not a little bit.
“We know we are not completely clueless when we talk about football. But we know that we have to be successful in the future. That’s what we try. So first and foremost, the record is not really important. That’s something that, when I’m not here any more, I will think about, but not at the moment.”
Klopp’s record at Anfield would have been even more mind-blowing but for a slump since Christmas that has seen the champions win just three of their last 11 matches.
That hiccup at least preserves one of Dalglish’s records, with the Liverpool icon winning 185 of his first 300 games in charge while Klopp stands on 179 victories after 299 matches.
It is Liverpool’s current dismal run which made the German refuse to even consider his proud record. Instead, he insisted that only one thing counts. “Even when I know the reason that we are not flying, I expected us to win more games than we have,” was the message to his players ahead of today’s trip to high-flying Leicester City.
“We have 15 games to go, so a lot of points. It’s not about where the others end up, it’s just about us – we will try our absolute best to make this the best possible season from now on. That’s our job.”
Klopp has some big decisions to make for today’s lunchtime visit to the King Power, with Fabinho ruled out with a “slight muscle problem.”
He must weigh up the claims of new signings Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak in defence.
“Calm people, both Ben and Ozan,” he said. “Willing to learn. Great attitude. They really throw themselves into everything, which is what a defender should do.
“They are making big steps in adapting to the way we play. It’s all good so far. Now we have to
make a decision.”
JOSE MOURINHO is adamant he will not be buying a key ring, T-shirt or even a mug to commemorate Tottenham reaching a cup final.
But Mourinho admits his Spurs side will have to upset the odds against Manchester City because he cannot “solve problems with a chequebook.”
Tottenham invited mickeytaking this week for selling Carabao Cup merchandise – emblazoned with ‘Finalists 2020/21’ – purely for reaching Wembley.
They face an uphill battle to overcome inform City on the big day in April and also at the
Etihad today because
Pep Guardiola’s men have been rejuvenated this season.
Mourinho says he could never spend £61million on a defender, like City did on Ruben Dias, but admits he knew the ground rules at Tottenham when he took over. And he does not blame his club’s merchandising department for trying to cash in on a cup final.
Mourinho said: “I imagine their job is to try and make money, right? If you ask me if am I going to buy anything, I am not going to buy anything.
“If you ask me if I lose the final, what am I going to do with a silver medal, I am going to say: ‘First of all, I think I am going to win the final and, secondly, if you want my silver medal I give to you because I don’t want to keep it.’
“Pep and Jurgen Klopp are, of course, two of the best coaches in the world. They are with two clubs that want to win everything. Pep thought that he needed to spend that money on defenders, so he did it. Good for him.
“But when I came to Tottenham, the club was very open and very honest with me. I’m not going to try to compare my situation with other clubs because the club was very open with me. I knew that I was going to come to a different reality.
“It’s a club not able to resolve problems with a cheque. And the club made efforts in the summer to improve the team and I’m not complaining about anything, I just do my work the best I can and that’s it.” Mourinho (left) and Guardiola had a bitter rivalry in Spain
when they were in charge of Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively but that has not followed them to the Premier League – these days they are on good terms.
Mourinho even shared one heartfelt story about his Spanish rival.
“There are moments in life we don’t forget,” said Mourinho, in charge at the Bernabeu from 2010 to 2013. “One of the things I don’t forget was when my father died (in 2017). Pep knew how important my dad was to me and made a call.
“When his mum died, I replied the same way. There are things people don’t see, things we don’t need to share. I am sharing because I have
now the opportunity. But I only have good memories of him when we work together.”
It does feel like a big week for Mourinho with a trip to City and a Europa League tie next Thursday with Austrian outfit Wolfsberg. After losing to Everton in the FA Cup, the stakes have risen for Spurs despite their Carabao Cup exploits. Tottenham fans are still divided on Mourinho, not least because of his style of play. When it was put to him that supporters want to win with style, he nearly bit before playing safe.
“I want to win matches and I want to win matches with style,” said Mourinho. “Yes, I do. I do want that.”
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STORE WARS Both Spurs and City are selling ‘finalists’ merchandise