When the English Premier League returned earlier this month, there were many questions ahead of time. While most focused on what the game would be like and how different it would be from what has become the most-watched football league in the world, there were others that were more prosaic.
For those who concern themselves with the fortunes of Manchester United there was one dominant focus ahead of their visit to play Tottenham Hotspur: How would Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes play together?
Pogba has been injured since Boxing Day so did not play at all with the Portuguese international midfielder who arrived at the club in January. It was unknown if the French World Cup winner would even have played again this season before football was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This summer was set to see Euro 2020 action across the continent – something for which Pogba was expected to be fit as his France side were looking to go one better than the last Euros, where they lost 1-0 in the final to Portugal – with the major tournament a shop window for the game’s best.
It had also been rumored that the former world record transfer fee may have played his last game for United amid rumors of interest from former club Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
Options for Solskjaer
This was all rendered moot when football stopped as we knew it, Pogba spent the time recovering from injury and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was presented with a dilemma – how to fit the man who has long been expected to be his star midfielder with the one who has proved to be?
Solskjaer opted to not test it out at the start of the game, electing for a midfield of Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Fred.
The much maligned Brazilian has quietly transformed his reputation in Manchester and his rehabilitation earlier in the campaign had him as a candidate for the club’s player of the season.
The same could be said of McTominay, who has also morphed into the player that he was in the youth teams at Old Trafford, a box-to-box goalscoring threat with the engine of a competitive middle distance runner. Neither of Fernandes’ midfield partners will be shocked to come behind the Portuguese in the end of season awards though. Since arriving in January he has changed the mood in Manchester, almost single-handedly.
When he is not berating teammates for not living up to his own high standards – something not seen in a red shirt since Roy Keane was regularly red-faced – he was taking it to opposition managers, notably Pep Guardiola in the derby and staring down countryman Jose Mourinho.
It is all too easy to forget that Fernandes has played just 10 times for the Red Devils. Six of those have come in the English Premier League, in which he has scored three goals, and he won the EPL Player of the Month for February.
“Since I was a kid it was a dream to play for Man Utd, and to be there at Old Trafford is the biggest dream of my career,” Fernandes told the Premier League website after picking up his award.
“When you come to a new club you always want to score, and the first goal is special. It doesn’t matter how the goal is scored, but important is the goal’s worth.
“I’m happy with my start, but from now I need to give more, to be better.”
He has already given more. He added another goal on June 19 in North London, once again from the penalty spot and it came from good work by Pogba.
By the time Pogba was introduced to the fray in the 63rd minute, the visitors were a goal down to an embarrassing Steven Bergwijn effort in the first-half that Manchester United keeper David de Gea allowed past him.
Pogba came on for Fred and looked like the player that everyone has wanted to see. He won the penalty after bamboozling Eric Dier in the Spurs box, with Fernandes making no mistake from 12 yards out.
Midfield pairing
There was more evidence that United’s 136 million pound midfield pairing might be capable of continuing the form that had the club confident of a top-four finish before the lockdown stopped the season in its tracks.
One ball from Pogba in particular deserved better from Anthony Martial but there were positive signs in the interplay between the Frenchman and the Man of the Match.
“We’re training hard in the past weeks,” Fernandes told Sky Sports after the match, which ended 1-1. “When we were training in groups I was in the group with Paul, so to find the connection is easier. But I found a good connection with everyone and the most important thing is the team.
“I think Paul thinks the same [as me] and we are happy. Paul won the penalty, I kicked it, so most importantly it is the team. It doesn’t matter who scores, or the assist, or nothing. I think the more important is winning and is about the team.”
The pundits were impressed, too, including BBC’s Alan Shearer.
“Bruno Fernandes was the best player on the park,” he said. “His first touch and his first thought is to look and to play forward, and he makes the players ahead of him better players because of that
“The options that he now provides because of that, his energy, his ability to pick the right pass, whereas before he arrived they were struggling in that position, and if he’s [Pogba] going to play on a regular basis, or decides to stay, then it could be a very, very good partnership.
“When he [Pogba] came on, he was excellent, he looked up for the fight, and they looked a dangerous partnership. It’s time for him to deliver now, there’s far too much talk about him off the pitch, he’s got to do it now,” Shearer said.
Pogba and Fernandes have several chances to do it over the coming weeks.
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United (No.18) celebrates after scoring with teammate Paul Pogba during the match against Tottenham Hotspur on June 19 in London, England. Photo: VCG
