Bruno Fernandes has pinpointed where Manchester United need to improve if they are to overcome Liverpool this weekend.
On Sunday, Jurgen Klopp’s unbeaten side visit Old Trafford to continue a daunting sequence of Premier League fixtures.
In midweek, Fernandes registered a Man of the Match performance as United produced their latest European miracle at the Theatre of Dreams.
Things looked bleak as the Red Devils trailed 2-0 to Atalanta at half-time before the 27-year-old assisted two of United’s three goals in a comeback win.
But it gets no easier for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City up next in the Premier League.
And Fernandes has issued a rallying call amid the team’s topsy-turvy form heading into such a brutal run of opponents.
Fernandes has claimed that United must do better to prevent and score more goals as a team, rather than blame and rely on individuals.
The Portugal international refuses to blame United’s defence solely for shipping so many goals recently and has outlined a simple aim for when Liverpool come to town.
He said: “Of course, we have to concede less goals, and we have to score more goals as well.
“We concede goals that we should not blame only on the defenders because everyone has to defend together.
“We train all together to defend as a team, and we train all together to get us to attack as a team, so when we don’t score, we should blame everyone in the team.
“When we concede, we should blame everyone in the team, but of course, sometimes it is individual mistakes – but that’s football.
“That happens and we just have to understand what is wrong and try to do it better the next games.”
Fernandes has acknowledged he made mistakes in the first half against Atalanta but believes he must take risks to find the attackers ahead of him.
“It is what it is you know, you have to take a risk sometimes,” Fernandes explained.
“I shouldn’t probably sometimes take so many risks as I did in the first half [vs Atalanta] when I missed many, many passes – but I have to try because I have to find my strikers.
“I think sometimes I know the pass is difficult or the chance to get in is not quite there but I want to respect the movement of my striker and try to make them score.”
On Sunday, Fernandes will undoubtedly play a pivotal role if United are to upset the bookies and hand Liverpool their first defeat of the season.