Bruno Fernandes has denied the uncertainty surrounding Erik ten Hag’s future as Manchester United manager is affecting the players, with the captain clear they must focus on the rest of the season.
Ten Hag is fighting for his job due to a disappointing campaign which was compounded by Sunday’s frantic FA Cup semi-final victory over Coventry at Wembley.
United were in control at 3-0 until Mark Robins’s team staged a remarkable comeback, scoring three times in 29 minutes to force extra-time. In the extra half an hour, Ellis Simms hit the bar and Victor Torp scored what appeared to be the winner, but his effort was ruled out for offside following the intervention of the VAR. United won 4-2 on penalties.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who controls United’s football policy, and his key advisor, Sir Dave Brailsford, were at Wembley as they continue their assessment of Ten Hag, who has a year remaining on his contract. United are seventh in the Premier League, 16 behind Aston Villa in the fourth Champions League qualifying place. They have played poorly throughout the season, leading to an increasing sense, which rose considerably after the weekend, that Ten Hag will not be at Old Trafford much longer.
Asked about the Dutchman’s future after United had secured a place in the FA Cup final for a second successive season, Fernandes said: “That doesn’t have to affect anyone because we have to focus on everything we have this season. We still have chances to get in European positions in the league, we have to finish as high as possible, that’s the main thing, and then we have an FA Cup final to play.
“So no one has to be worried because it’s not our job to be worried with these things that come from the outside or from the inside or whatever because we have the owners who take care of that, we have the directors and then we players it’s about performing on the pitch and giving our best.”
Fernandes admitted the scare Coventry gave United caused mixed feelings about the eventual victory. “Obviously, it is a little bit but at the same time we have to be happy,” he said. “It’s two years in a row we have reached a final, we know how difficult it is to get to the final of the FA Cup. Obviously we wanted to get there in a different way.
“For the first 70 minutes, we were so good, we controlled the game and then obviously well done from them, they believed, they gave everything they could to get back to the game and they did it.”
Fernandes was asked why United have often conceded in quick succession and in added time. “In some moments you can probably relax yourself for a little bit - not make the pressure as strong as you should,” the Portuguese said. “At the end, they got some lucky goals but at the same time, we have to give credit to them.”
Darren Fletcher, the technical director and former United midfielder, spoke to the team and pointed to how he reached only a few Cup finals under Sir Alex Ferguson as inspiration. “We had Fletch before the game,” Fernandes said. “Fletch has been part of one of the best teams for Man United in the past years and he’s been here three times at Wembley for the FA Cup, he played 12 years for the club, he was in the most successful part of the club in the last years.”