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6 months ago
44 Man City manager Pep Guardiola has spoken to reporters about Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup final.
The two Manchester clubs are Wembley-bound on Saturday afternoon for the biggest event this weekend has to offer.
We will find out who are the 2024 FA Cup champions in a repeat of last year’s final, although United will be hoping for a better outcome.
City won the 2023 final 2-1 following a brace for Ilkay Gundogan. The Germany international left the club after completing the Treble, and Guardiola’s side are looking to make it Double this time around without him operating in the middle.
Every United fan should accept why City are going to Wembley as favourites, but we can still demand a push from our players, at the very least. Ten Hag must get the right response from the player’s tomorrow whether his job is gone or not.
Guardiola singled out United’s attacking players for praise in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, especially Bruno Fernandes.
“They have the runners,” Guardiola said, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News. “The actions from brilliant players they have up front. Garnacho, Rashford, Hojlund, of course Bruno Fernandes. When he has the ball, everything happens.
“The influence from Bruno on that team is outstanding, unbelievable. I saw the last few games and I said; ‘This guy is… His creativity is one of the best I’ve ever seen’.
They have experience too.”
Elsewhere in attack, Rasmus Hojlund will start with Alejandro Garnacho likely to be joined on the flanks by Marcus Rashford. That will come as a disappointing blow to Amad Diallo, who has performed well in the lead up to the final, unlike Rashford.
On the other hand, Erik ten Hag conducted his pre-match duties on Thursday evening. You can read everything the Manchester United manager said, including reactions to Marcus Rashford’s omission from the England squad ahead of Euro 2024.
Although Fernandes has been linked with a move away from United this summer, the Portugal international issued a message to fans on the eve of the final to state he does not want to leave Old Trafford.
The decision will be left to the club after the FA Cup final.
As Guardiola’s praise suggests, Fernandes’ potential exit would come as a blow to this United this. I’d hate to think of going into tomorrow’s game without him in midfielder, though we can also see a future without him since he’s 29-years-old and can’t go on at this rate forever.
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