BritishAssigned to take the penalty, midfielder Bruno Fernandes let teammate Marcus Rashford take the penalty kick in Man Utd's 3-0 win over Everton in the Premier League.
Last season, Rashford scored 30 goals in 56 matches for Man Utd. However, after 16 matches in all competitions this season (before Everton's away trip), the 26-year-old striker only scored one goal in a 1-3 loss to Arsenal on September 3. Therefore, when Man Utd received a penalty in the 9th minute yesterday, Fernandes ceded the right to take the penalty to Rashford, to help his teammates regain confidence and form.
“I feel like Marcus needs a bit of confidence and needs a goal,” Fernandes said Sky Sports. “Marcus took excellent penalties, and I'm sure he can score.”
Rashford scored a penalty in Man Utd's 3-0 win over Everton in round 13 of the Premier League on the evening of November 26, at Goodison Park. Image: PA
Also according to Fernandes, the problem is not who takes the penalty, but scoring the goal. The Man Utd captain also said that in addition to Rashford, other strikers and wingers also need to score goals. He sees it as part of the game and helps the players gain more motivation.
“After this penalty goal, I think Marcus is unstoppable,” Fernandes added. “Last season, he played great so people had higher expectations. It's just a matter of regaining the feeling of scoring goals and proving world class again."
In this match, Man Utd opened the scoring in the 3rd minute thanks to Alejandro Garnacho's diving goal. They then encountered many difficulties due to Everton's resistance. However, goalkeeper Andre Onana and the defense remained strong.
In the 52nd minute, after Ashley Young fouled Anthony Martial, the referee gave Man Utd a penalty. Rashford succeeded to increase the score to 2-0, creating an important turning point for the match. In the 75th minute, after a pass from Fernandes, Martial lobbed the ball past the home goalkeeper to seal a 3-0 victory. This is the first time Man Utd has won by more than one goal this season.
Man Utd also returned to sixth place in the Premier League with 24 points - only four points behind fourth-place team Aston Villa. Everton ranked bottom of the table with four points, due to a 10-point deduction for violating financial fair play rules.
Thanh Quy (follow Sky Sports)
