Defeat to Sheffield United stopped title cost

Bruno Fernandes has pinpointed the second Manchester United surrendered the Premier League title race and mentioned Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s staff should enhance their “mindset” in the event that they need to catch Manchester Metropolis subsequent season.

United topped the desk in January however suffered a shock defeat to backside facet Sheffield United at hand the initiative to Metropolis earlier than additionally recording a draw at West Bromwich Albion, one other staff finally relegated to the Championship, a month later.

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Solskjaer’s facet took 4 factors off Metropolis however are set to complete a distant second to Pep Guardiola’s champions and Fernandes mentioned United should be extra centered subsequent season in relation to video games towards groups decrease down the desk.

“We’re evolving our mindset, we realise that each recreation is vital and difficult,” Fernandes advised ESPN Brasil. “We realised this yr that enjoying towards groups combating towards relegation could be extra tough than we thought.

“We misplaced 4 factors after we have been nonetheless in first place towards Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion, and it was 4 factors that made the distinction for Metropolis to return shut and overtake us as properly.

“This made us perceive that we now have to be centered and realise that each one the matches are going to be powerful and vital for us to maintain combating for titles. That is the place we failed, particularly in January, which was our worst second after we may have boosted our benefit over Metropolis, which did not occur.

“Metropolis, rightfully, ended up overtaking us and managing to guide us by many factors.”

Fernandes has been key to a different season of progress for United, scoring 28 objectives in his first full marketing campaign after arriving from Sporting CP in January 2020. His kind has earned the midfielder the membership’s participant of the yr award for the second season in a row however the 26-year-old mentioned he’s extra involved with profitable staff trophies.

He can choose up a primary piece of silverware at Outdated Trafford when United tackle Villarreal within the Europa League closing in Gdansk, Poland on Might 26.

“My precedence proper now’s to win trophies,” Fernandes mentioned. “I believe collective trophies are extra vital than particular person ones as a result of right here we work for one another and if this works it leads us to collective trophies.

“I believe the membership has improved loads since earlier than I arrived, it is in a rising part and the gamers are understanding increasingly more the mindset you could need to play at a membership like Man United, which is eager to win and win titles.

“That is what we’re right here for. And, in fact, I really feel a part of that and I need to assist the membership to evolve, to win and hopefully we are able to develop much more to struggle for extra trophies.”