Bruno Fernandes has given Ruben Amorim a big reality check about the situation he inherits at Manchester United. Amorim's arrival tomorrow will usher in a new era at Old Trafford but his captain has warned that the Red Devils still face the same challenge of returning to the top of Premier League and European football.
Fernandes scored his fourth goal in five matches as United concluded Ruud van Nistelrooy's four-game interim spell with a 3-0 victory over Leicester. The midfielder opened the scoring before Victor Kristiansen and Alejandro Garnacho sealed a comfortable triumph.
Amorim will finally join United next week after completing a period of notice at Sporting CP. The 39-year-old is one of Europe's most highly-rated young coaches but has huge challenges awaiting him in his new job.
Fernandes told BBC Sport: “It was a long time that I wasn’t scoring and now goals are coming in the last few games. Another clean sheet was important for us to bring back the fortress we had here. We have to keep doing that and we have to improve.
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“Ruud van Nistelrooy fills the club, he loves the club, he wants to bring joy to the players. He brought everyone with a smile to the games, he just wanted us to enjoy it. We wanted to say goodbye as a manager for him properly because he did good things for us.
“It’s a new era, a new manager means everything changes but what hasn’t changed is that this club has to get back to where it belongs."
Fernandes also revealed that winger Garnacho feels he has lost the faith of some of United's fans. The Argentine international produced a stunning strike to score the Red Devils' third goal.
"Garnacho scored a banger but didn't celebrate like he should because he thinks he has lost faith from some fans. I told him people will always moan but lots of people like you and enjoy what you do," he added.
"I told him to celebrate, it was something special. He is a special player, we have difference-makers. They are the ones who win us games. We want them to score every game but that isn't going to happen.”
Amorim will take charge of United for the first time when Ipswich travel to Old Trafford on November 24. He will have a huge task overhauling a club which sits 13th in the Premier League.
