Ruben Amorim has praised the leadership of Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes after he scored a brace in the Premier League's 2-1 win over West Ham in the summer pre-season.
The 30-year-old's brace put United top of the table, while Jarrod Bowen responded with another goal for the Hammers.
After a trophyless season and a worst-ever Premier League finish (15th), United have strengthened their squad with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
Amorim acknowledged that his captain may be feeling disappointed, but added that he should trust his teammates.
“Last season it was obvious, it showed in goals and assists. But it's not just that. I think he has more players now who can support him in leading the team, and that's a positive,” Amorim said of Fernandes on MUTV.
“He is our leader and his importance goes beyond the field. He sets the tone by example.
“He works very hard, is always willing to help, but sometimes he plays in pain. The problem sometimes is that he gets frustrated and loses a little bit of focus on his work.
“Sometimes he's so keen to help his teammates that it's not always the best decision. They need to do their job, and Bruno, for example, might have to wait for the ball.”
Mbeumo was left out of the squad and Amorim confirmed he will not feature in the next match against Bournemouth until he is fit after his move from Brentford.
United opened the scoring in just five minutes when Irons goalkeeper Alphonse Areola clumsily fouled Aidan Haven in his own penalty area, allowing Fernandes to fire a penalty into the bottom left corner.
After Amad Diallo was flagged for offside, the Portuguese continued to show his quality in the second half, sending a long-range shot into the top left corner.
“It was completely different from last season. We didn't suffer, we scored and that helped us improve our game,” Amorim added, speaking about his team's progress.
“We controlled the ball, defended well one-on-one, pressed high, especially when shooting on goal, and that sometimes allowed us to win the ball back.
“I think we need to control the ball longer when we win it, to stay closer to the box and try to find tight spaces. We can have more possession and work with the ball a little more.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
