Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has thrown his support behind Andre Onana, telling the goalkeeper to stop blaming himself for the club’s Champions League 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich.
The former Inter Milan keeper unfortunately allowed a low Leroy Sané’s shot to hit past him into the net.
At the end of the game, the summer signee took the blame saying he “let the team down” and that United “didn’t win today, it’s because of me”.
Three minutes later, Onana’s error was followed by a Serge Gnabry strike, then a Harry Kane’s penalty goal for the Bavarians after Rasmus Hojlund had scored early in the second half.
The match ended with United’s two other goals from Casemiro.
However, skipper Fernandes has insisted that “It’s not about Andre. Andre is a great goalkeeper.
“He will keep giving us a lot of points, a lot of saves. He hasn’t to take any blame for nothing. We have to take the blame as a team, that we’re going to go through this moment together because we are strong as a team. I think what everyone has to do is to do their own job and look at themselves first,” Fernandes said in the bowels of the Allianz Arena. That’s what I do as a player, not as a captain – as a person and first point.
“I think everyone does that, and I think today it wasn’t the case that not everyone was doing the best for the team or trying to fight for getting the result. I think everyone did that. It’s just the momentum and against big teams, as I said, when you give a lot of chances to them, they’re going to hurt you.
“Even then they give us some chances and we scored three goals, so I think no-one would expect us to come into Bayern and score three goals.
“I don’t think anyone outside of us would expect us to fight for the result in trying to get something from the game. But I think the team did. Obviously it wasn’t enough but we’re not playing against some bad team. We were playing one of the best teams in the world, with great players, with great qualities. Obviously it’s not the best moment for us but we will get through this and we will get the results back.”
“Obviously, we want to have everyone back because we know that as many players we have available, the team will be stronger,” Fernandes said. And obviously more options for the manager to do his choices and whatever his tactics, the first 11 or whatever he picks.
“But obviously, still, we have the players, and we have enough experience and enough talent in the team to get through this moment even with all the players. Obviously now I think some of them probably will come back earlier and will lift the team because we have quality players injured.
“But it’s about the ones that are now playing, giving something to get the result and that’s it. We can’t rely now on the injuries and everything. We know it’s tough, and you need to get through that because you can’t control (it). But I think the team has players (good) enough to get a response.”
