Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes explained why he didn’t take his side’s second penalty against Everton on Saturday.
The Red Devils scored twice from the spot as they defeated the beleaguered Toffees 2-0 at Old Trafford to bounce back from consecutive defeats in the Premier League.
After Alejandro Garnacho was fouled in the box, the Portuguese playmaker, who is the club’s designated penalty taker, converted the first effort to put Man United ahead 11 minutes into the game.
Garnacho won another penalty later in the first half, but instead of stepping up to the plate again Fernandes handed the responsibility to Marcus Rashford, who dispatched the ball into the net for his seventh goal of the season.
“We both kick the penalties,” the 29-year-old revealed to TNT Sports after the final whistle. “I asked Marcus if he wanted to take and he said he was confident.
“He is one of the penalty takers that the manager chooses. I felt I had my one, Rashy could get his goal from the penalty.”
The victory leaves Man Utd three points behind Spurs and fifth place, which might be enough to secure qualification for next season’s Champions League. But Fernandes admits they have to win the rest of their games if they want to make that happen.
“Obviously we know we have to win every game that we have ahead,” he said. “We know our position in the league and it’s not enough for us. We want to try and get into the spots for the Champions League. We know it’s going to be tough and difficult but we have to win these games.
“We have to win every game. We didn’t win against Fulham. That was not good enough. Then we go away to City and we don’t win two games in a row. It gets tough. Aston Villa is doing really well, in moments Tottenham are being really good. It will be more difficult for us than them but we have to push.”
