Man of the Match Bruno Fernandes takes the plaudits, as Ronaldo casts shadow over United win | OneFootball

Manchester United 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur

Bruno Fernandes was the Man of the Match on a night which saw Manchester United produce a superb team showing in a dominant victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

Fernandes scored his first goal for United since August, but it was the all-round nature of his performance in midfield which drew widespread praise after the match, justifying manager Erik ten Hag’s glowing praise for the Portuguese ahead of the game.

United came into the encounter against in-form Spurs amid news that Cristiano Ronaldo would not appear in the starting line-up, with Marcus Rashford restored in place of the Seleção captain. Ten Hag’s decision was largely justified as the home side dominated for the entirety of the match, creating opportunities constantly while snuffing out the majority of Spurs’ attempts to counter.

The visitors survived until half time with the scoreline goalless, but Brazilian midfielder Fred put United ahead just minutes after the re-start with the aid of a deflection. Fernandes made the game safe midway through the second period with a brilliant finish from inside the box, steering the ball past the impressive Hugo Lloris to cap an exceptional performance from player and team.

Fernandes was dynamic, hard working and a threat with his passing, demonstrating why Ten Hag had praised the variation in his recent performances. Although at times playing deeper than usual, perhaps to cover the absence of Christian Eriksen, Fernandes proved vital in injecting energy and quality in United’s midfield, leading him to be voted Man of the Match.

“Was I the main man? I don’t like the words ‘being the main man’,” Fernandes told Amazon in response to suggestions he relishes the pressure. “Sometimes on the pitch, there are players that need to attack. I have always said: ‘I am a good anchor; I have to work hard.’ It was my way to play since I was a kid.

“Obviously, you want to get your goals. You like to have this MotM. I understand my position. I know some players that are on the pitch, I respect their position and I know, in moments, I will need to do different things to get the best out of them. I don’t ever wish to not sacrifice myself to get the best out of my team-mates.”

During Tuesday’s pre-match press conference, Ten Hag assured that goals would come for Fernandes, and the Dutchman was pleased to be proved correct. “Bruno scored, eh? I know it will come with him,” he said. “Sometimes, you have appearances where you don’t score but, all of a sudden, you've found the back of the net. I think, for Bruno, it is important that he scored a goal but he played a magnificent game today.”

Ronaldo did not enjoy the victory quite as much. The Portugal captain was sent to warm up during the latter stages of the match, but having seen Anthony Elanga introduced ahead of him, Ronaldo opted to head down the tunnel into the dressing room with the closing minutes still unfolding.