Manchester United could end the season as Europa League champions and Premier League runners up – but that wouldn’t be enough for Bruno Fernandes.
In an exclusive interview with talkSPORT, the Portuguese playmaker said a club of United’s stature must be challenging for every major honour as he outlined the hunger and ambition he has to help restore the club to their past glories.
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United – without a trophy in four years – are in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and sitting second in the Premier League, 14 points behind leaders Manchester City.
While Fernandes won’t concede the title is out of reach until it is mathematically impossible, he admits United haven’t been at the level required to be a championship-winning team this season – and made it clear what the expectations should be at Old Trafford.
“For us, it is about improving as a team,” he told White and Jordan, when asked what progress is for United.
“Of course we want to win trophies, we want to win everything we are included in. At the moment, we are not at that level this season.
“We have lost a lot of games. We have lost games we don’t expect to lose and have lost a lot of points at home and away our form is really, really different. I don’t remember if we have lost one game away in the league.
“We are improving and this season is not finished and we have a lot to do until the end of the season. Until it is not mathematically possible, you have to believe so when I see it is not possible to catch City, I will forget the league.”
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Asked if finishing second in the Premier League and winning the Europa League would constitute a successful season, he replied: “No, it is never successful when you win just one trophy at this club. In the past they won a lot of trophies.
“It is always successful when you win something because it means you have done something good but, at the same time, it doesn’t matter how many trophies you win, you always have to improve.
“It doesn’t matter if this season we won four trophies, we would still need to improve. If this season we win just the Europa League, we still have to improve.
“It doesn’t matter how many trophies we win, we have to improve every season.”
Fernandes has been oustanding ever since arriving at United from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
He credits boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with helping him showcase his talents from the very start.
“At the beginning he was important because he told me to express myself, don’t be afraid to do what I was doing at Sporting and to be myself, and that is really important for a player to feel that confidence from the coach,” he said.
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Fernandes also highlighted the importance Michael Carrick has on him and the rest of the squad as an assistant coach to Solskjaer.
He added: “He was a top player and he can help to improve every player here.
“We have a lot to learn from him. I really appreciated his qualities as a player and now I am happy to have him as a coach to help me to improve and pass on his experience as a player.”
Fernandes has spent most of his time at United playing behind closed doors and admits he is relishing the return of supporters, believing it will lift his performances and the team’s too.
Asked how much he’s missed the fans, he replied: “Honestly, for me a lot.
“One of the things when I decided to come to the club and the Premier League was because of the fans, the full stadiums.
“A big part of my biggest moments in the club until now was my first game against Wolves and seeing all the fans singing my songs, saying my name. That gives you a lot of confidence.
“I had that for about three games at home and we all miss them because we know they can push us. And honestly, the home games with them will be much easier.
“Without fans it is not the same and we want them back as soon as possible.”
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