‘Play your position!’ - Paul Scholes pinpoints Bruno Fernandes’ role as Marcus Rashford struggles continue

Paul Scholes believes Bruno Fernandes’ positional play is affecting Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United form.

Rashford and Fernandes have started all seven of Man Utd’s Premier League games this season, where they’ve already suffered four defeats.

England international Rashford scored 30 goals in all competitions last season - his best return in a single campaign - but he’s only managed to find the net once in eight games so far this term.

TNT Sports pundit Scholes analysed Rashford's early season struggles and highlighted captain Fernandes’ role in the team that he believes could be the issue.

“I don’t know, maybe they’re just not getting the ball to him enough,” he told Rio Ferdinand and Laura Woods on Rashford’s poor start to the season. “I always think of Bruno Fernandes, I think he has a big part to play in this team, at number ten especially.

“I think that is the most important position, as an attacking team, on the pitch. He’s the one that makes you play football and for me, he vacates that area too much. The amount of times you see him at right-back, the amount of times you see him at left-back and trying to hit long balls. It’s not doing any good for the team.

“He’s a brilliant footballer and if you get the ball to him in the right areas on the edge of the box, he can link with Hojlund, he can link with Rashford, he can score goals and he can make goals. He has to play his position better for me.

“I think the central midfield players have to tell him. I imagine playing central midfield here and I’m seeing Bruno, my number ten and who I’m supposed to link with, he’s at right-back. Play your position!”

Analysing how Fernandes can get Rashford and new signing Rasmus Hojlund further involved in the action, Scholes pointed out the midfielder’s positional play.

“Bruno has to come into that little position in between their right centre-half and their right-back,” he said. “Get into that little area there and into the space, because the right-back can’t come to you because he has to look after Marcus.

“Hojlund should be pinning down the right side centre-half. And then Marcus the pace he’s got, even Hojlund running down the side.

“Give it to Marcus, he can go one-on-one, he can run through inside the full-back, create chances. Bruno has a big part to play in this team and I don’t think he’s doing it quite right at the minute.”

Scholes’ former team-mate and fellow TNT Sports pundit Ferdinand chimed in on his thoughts over Hojlund’s tough start to life at Old Trafford and the unusual “pressure” he has had to endure.

“I feel sorry for him in a way because I don’t think we’ve really seen a young player come in and go ‘Right, you’ve got to be the finishes article’ and have the responsibility on their shoulders,” he said.

“Wayne Rooney had Ruud van Nistelrooy alongside him to share that responsibility and no one expected that of him. You could go through loads of players, Diego Forlan as well, people like that. ‘Come and sit in and watch how it’d done and work’.

“He’s going straight into the spotlight and being expected to produce goals and getting judged as a massive money signing. It’s hard for him but as the manager said; Man Utd players have to deal with pressure.”

- - -

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Heineken Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+ where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media