Man Utd: Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes may need to make ‘sacrifices’, says Darren Fletcher
Manchester United midfielders Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes are good enough to play together but may need to make “sacrifices”, according to Darren Fletcher.
Pogba was out with an ankle injury when Fernandes arrived from Sporting Lisbon in January, but the France midfielder is now back to full fitness as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer prepares his side for the Premier League’s return.
Former United midfielder Fletcher, who appeared on Friday’s MUTV Group Chat to discuss a range of topics, says the pair may need to make sacrifices in their own game to benefit the team.
When asked if Pogba and Fernandes could play with each other, Fletcher said: „Without doubt, of course. Great players can come together.
„Somebody might have to sacrifice a little bit of something – that’s part of being in a team, it’s not an individual sport. When you play with a certain midfield, whether it’s a midfield three, you adapt your game to complement each other.
„That’s what I had to do at United. I was in the team with lots of different midfielders, lots of combinations and, if a certain midfielder was playing, I would try to take up positions to allow him to benefit and he would do things to allow me to benefit.
„It’s all about being compatible and recognising the strengths of your fellow team-mates and how to get your best performance, but, ultimately, you might be sacrificing what you do best to allow someone else to excel, which helps the team win.“
‘Fernandes taking responsibility’
Fernandes has hit the ground running since arriving at Old Trafford, registering three goals and four assists in nine appearances so far.
The Portugal midfielder picked up the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for February, and Fletcher believes he has what it takes to make it at United.
„I think he’s been fantastic. His ability has been there for everyone to see. For me, it’s been his personality and his attitude,“ Fletcher added.
„He tries things, he tries difficult passes but, when he gives it away, it’s his reaction after he does it. It’s fantastic, his hunger to try and get the ball back. He doesn’t throw his arms up in the air or sulk and moan.
„He’s bossing people on the pitch, he’s taking responsibility. He’s looked like the epitome of a Manchester United player. He wants to be there, he wants the ball, he demands the ball.
„He’s seen Old Trafford as his theatre and he’s relishing it. He’s sort of been a breath of fresh air with personality more than anything, which is what you need to play for Man United.
„Ability’s not enough. You need personality to play for Manchester United and he epitomises it.“
United continued preparations ahead of the Premier League restart with a pair of friendly matches against West Brom at Old Trafford on Friday. The Championship side won the opening friendly 2-1, while United secured a 3-1 victory in the second.
United are due to face Tottenham away on June 19 – live on Sky Sports – when they will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run to 12 matches in all competitions.
Pereira: We’ll make it tough for Tottenham
Andreas Pereira is looking forward to the trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, admitting that the Premier League restart feels a bit like returning from pre-season training, where United have looked „sharp“ in recent weeks.
„As soon as we knew that the season was going to start again, we were very hyped and wanted to play,“ he told Sky Sports. „Everybody is very sharp in training, everyone has been paying a lot of attention.
„We’re very eager for it to start again. It’s very important, the game against Tottenham. It feels like when you come back from pre-season, the match rhythm will not be 100 per cent but it will be hard for them as well.
„We want to make it a tough job for them, we want to win. We have a Champions League spot to go for, and we have the FA Cup and the Europa League. We’re going full out in these two months really.
„We need to push as a squad and make it the best two months we can get.“
The Premier League 2019/20 season will provisionally restart on Wednesday June 17 and Sky, the UK’s leading football broadcaster, will make 25 games available ‘free to air’ – including Everton vs Liverpool on the first full weekend back – for everyone in the UK to enjoy.
Sky Sports will show 64 live Premier League games when the season resumes. In addition to the 39 matches already scheduled to be broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports before the coronavirus interruption, 25 more matches will be available on both Sky Sports Premier League and Sky’s free-to-air Pick channel, allowing the whole nation to be part of the return of live sport.
To celebrate the return of the Premier League, Sky Sports will also launch a host of innovative new features and updates to give fans an even more immersive experience and share the moments live with family and friends on virtual platforms.
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