‘It’s going to be hard’: Fernandes admits to Manchester United top-four doubts
Bruno Fernandes admits it is “going to be hard” for Manchester United to qualify for the Champions League after Manchester City’s “individual quality” led to an 11th Premier League loss of the season.
United sit sixth, 11 points off fourthplaced Aston Villa and six points behind Tottenham – who have a game in hand – in fifth spot, which could yet be enough for Champions League qualification. United next play at home to Everton on Saturday.
“We want to be in the Champions League, we want to try until the end of the season to get into that fourth place,” Fernandes told MUTV. “That gives you the possibility to be in the Champions League, so we know it’s going to be hard, but we have to do everything that is on our hands that we can do.
“Going to the next game at home, we know that our fans will be there again, over and over again. They’re being behind us, they push us and next game we have to go there and win that game.”
Marcus Rashford put United into the lead at City, only for Phil Foden’s two goals and a stoppage-time Erling Haaland strike to seal a 3-1 derby win for Pep Guardiola’s team.
“Obviously we’re disappointed,” Fernandes said. “I think we could have got something from the game. I think the effort from the team was there. Everyone tried really hard to get the result today, but it wasn’t possible.
“I said at half-time I felt that the team was doing everything we could to defend our box. We know that at moments we had to defend deep and be together and be compact and help each other. We did it but obviously I think today the difference was the individual quality from the players of City that made them win this game.”