Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DREAM-MATE
Excited Bruno believes it will be amazing to finally pair up with Pogba in United midfield
BRUNO FERNANDES says it will be “amazing” finally to play with Paul Pogba for Manchester United.
Reds fans are drooling at the possibility of seeing the two in tandem for the first time when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side return tomorrow night at Tottenham and Fernandes says he is just as excited.
Pogba is finally fit after being blighted by an ankle injury for most of the campaign and he last played for United on Boxing Day.
Fernandes is a huge fan of the France World Cup winner and cannot wait to line up with him.
“We’re so excited to restart the season and play again,” said the Portugal star.
“Everyone is excited to see Paul Pogba play after his long injury. For me, playing alongside him will be amazing.
“Everyone wants to play with the best players and Paul is one of them. But we have a lot of good players and the most important thing is the results for Manchester United.”
Fernandes, 25, is already a fans’ favourite because of his three goals and four assists in his first nine appearances for United since his January switch from Sporting Lisbon for a £47million fee rising to £67m. United’s Captain Marvel Bryan Robson believes Fernandes can be a key figure like Paul Scholes was and he is humbled by such talk.
“Everyone has to be a leader in their own way,” said Fernandes. “Everyone here is a leader. I’m just another one. I try to help everyone and they try to help me.
“I do always want the ball, that is true and I will always be like that.
“I’m very thankful for the support the fans gave me from the beginning, it has been perfect for me.
“From the beginning I feel I’ve been at home, like I never left Sporting.”
United are targeting a Champions League place and Luke Shaw (above) feels the Spurs clash could be defining.
United had reeled off 11 straight wins before lockdown, and Shaw says they need to pick up where they left off.
“Our main focus is on Tottenham,” said the left-back. “The magnitude of this fixture and how defining it could be in our season if we get a good result makes it massive for us.
“We’ve just got to play the way we were playing before the break and we just need to make sure we’re up for it and get off to a good start in this final part of the season.”