Fernandes: I can do great things with Pogba at Man Utd

Bruno Fernandes says he has a “good relationship” with team-mate Paul Pogba and believes the pair can “do great things” at Manchester United.

Fernandes has been a revelation at Old Trafford since signing from Sporting CP in January.

The midfielder’s fine form carried United to a third-placed finish last season and he has scored 11 goals from 57 shots while providing nine assists from 48 chances created in his 19 Premier League games so far.

But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have struggled in the league this season and sit 15th ahead of Sunday’s game against Arsenal.

Much of the conversation around this difficult start to the new campaign has centred on how Fernandes and Pogba work together, with the enigmatic World Cup winner left on the bench for their past two league games – the win at Newcastle United and draw at home to Chelsea.

Fernandes is confident they can prove an effective pairing, however.

“We have a good relationship, of course,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “We both speak Italian so most of the time we speak Italian. I have a good relationship with him on and off the pitch.

“He’s a funny guy, he always wants to joke. I know him from Italy already but now I have the chance to be in a team with a World Cup winner.

“It’s always a pleasure being in a team with him because I can learn a lot from him, and he can learn a lot from me. Together we can do great things.”

Fernandes and Pogba have started 11 league games together for United, while the Portuguese has been named in the XI without his midfield colleague on eight occasions.

A tough match…
Let’s stay focused for the next ones! pic.twitter.com/OIsrV0ZT46

— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) October 24, 2020

United have won a greater share of their games (63.6 per cent versus 50.0 per cent) and scored more goals (2.4 per game against 1.6) when both have been selected.

However, Solskjaer’s men have never lost when Fernandes has started without Pogba and they concede fewer goals when he is given more reliable defensive help in the midfield, shipping 0.4 goals per game without the Frenchman compared to 1.5 when he has played.

Pogba was in the team for the 6-1 humbling at home to Tottenham but has not returned to the side in the league since.

These omissions have prompted the latest round of speculation regarding Pogba’s future – a constant during his time in Manchester – but Fernandes is confident United’s number six is maintaining his focus.

“Paul wants to play, he wants to be in the first XI,” Fernandes said. “That is no different to any player – they all want to be in the first XI.

“Of course, Paul is an amazing player who has done a lot of great things in the past few years. The way he came in against Paris Saint-Germain, against Newcastle, was perfect for the team.

“A lot of people may think Paul is angry on the bench and that he will do nothing when he comes on because he is angry, but he comes in with the right motivation, as we saw with his assist in Paris.

“He was there, he was fighting, holding the ball in the corner for us, he did a really good job.

“Maybe some people think he was angry because he wanted to play and that he wants to leave the club. Everyone knows the qualities Paul has, he is doing very well.

“Being on the bench is a problem for everyone, but this problem is motivation for Paul.

“He uses this as motivation and he is helping the team a lot when he comes in and plays, like he did in the last game in the Champions League.”