After the match where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handed Bruno Fernandes his Manchester United debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, former United legend Gary Neville claims he saw similarities to Juan Sebastian Veron in the Portuguese midfielder’s debut.
Having been deliberately thrown straight into the deep end, the Portugal international was thrown straight in at the deep end at Old Trafford and displayed an eager willingness to work on his first outing. He tested the new terrain going close on several occasions to put his former Sporting team-mate Rui Patricio to the test.
Neville told Sky Sports he believes the midfielder has yet to give his best.
“I thought he did okay.”
“He adapted quite well in the second half, he moved into a holding midfield role with Fred and I actually thought he did quite well to show a lot of experience and discipline and not expose himself too much.”
His assessment of Bruno Fernandes’ debut:
“In the first half he was in a No.10 role and he reminded me a bit of what Juan Sebastian Veron used to do when he first came to Manchester United.”
“He charged around everywhere and moved everywhere and was busy and was looking for spaces but didn’t really play into position. I preferred him in the second half when he was a little more controlled and I thought it was a decent debut from him.”
“Fred has emerged in recent weeks and those two could control games and there is some promise there. It’s early days but I like what he did.”
Needless to say, both Neville and Solskjaer, especially, are hopeful that Fernandes will be able to realise his full potential and become more successful than the Argentine, Veron, who despite winning the 2002/03 Premier League title with United, struggled to replicate the quality he’d previously demonstrated in Italy with Lazio that had enamoured Sir Alex Ferguson to his style of play.
Indeed, all fingers had better be crossed at Old Trafford that their new midfield wunderkind will not end up another flash in the pan.