Bruno Fernandes’ Reaction After Missing Penalty Against Fulham

Manchester United failed to secure a win after being held to a 1–1 draw by Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday (24/8/2025). The Red Devils took the lead through an own goal by Rodrigo Muniz, but that lead vanished after Emile Smith Rowe scored a quick equalizer in the second half.

The main spotlight was on manager Ruben Amorim’s decision to opt for a defensive strategy after his team took the lead. He brought on four defenders, a move that later drew much criticism from pundits and fans.

For Amorim, the move was not without reason. With a dense fixture schedule, he considered player rotation and physical management very important. According to him, strengthening the backline was the safest way to secure three points.

In addition, Fulham is known to be dangerous through quick transitions. Adding defenders was seen as an anticipatory step to dampen threats from players like Alex Iwobi and Smith Rowe.

Criticism from Media and Legends

Despite its logic, Amorim’s tactics still drew sharp criticism. The Guardian wrote that United lost momentum after retreating too early. Instead of adding a second goal, they gave Fulham the chance to control the game.

Former MU captain, Gary Neville, also called the substitution an “odd” move. According to him, United was in a dominant position and should have kept pressing.

“With the quality they have, United should have looked for an additional goal, not retreated,” he said.

For some fans, that style of play also felt contradictory to the club’s DNA. The classic “attack, attack, attack” philosophy was not visible, even though supporters clearly wanted the team to play aggressively.

Risks if Constantly Defending

The question now is, will Amorim continue with a defensive approach in the next matches? If so, there are several risks that must be faced:

• Less sharp attack: attackers like Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Šeško could struggle to get chances.
• Increased fan pressure: MU’s fan base has long been accustomed to attacking football.
• Increased opponent confidence: like Fulham, opposing teams could be bolder in pressing if United retreats too quickly.

Ruben Amorim’s defensive strategy clearly sparked pros and cons. From one side, the move can be understood as a form of pragmatism to secure results. But from the other side, this approach made United lose momentum, contradicted the club’s identity, and ultimately failed to deliver a win.

Going forward, Amorim is demanded to find a balance. Manchester United needs a manager who can maintain defensive stability, but still maintain the attacking character that is the club’s hallmark.