Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Amorim formed a united front ahead of Manchester United’s almighty Premier League clash with Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

The two Portuguese figureheads of the club, captain and head coach respectively, were full of support for one another as United had their sights set on a first pair of consecutive Premier League victories under Amorim almost a year into his tenure.

Echoing the sentiment recently expressed by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Fernandes insisted that the last thing United needed was a change of head coach. “I think the club needs stability,” he told Sky Sports.

“Sometimes you need to look at the bigger picture and as a group of players we believe that the manager can help this club to get back where it belongs.”

Fernandes has been at United long enough to know the toxic torrent of speculation surrounding every setback. “Any manager that comes here will be one game away from a crisis,” he sighed.

“This club is always like that,” Fernandes explained, noting how it can go both ways. “If you win a game, it looks like you’re going to win the league. If you lose a game, it looks like there is a cloud over the club that will never go.”

United come into Sunday’s derby on the back of a refreshingly routine 2–0 victory over Sunderland a fortnight ago. That triumph has given the Red Devils the chance to earn back-to-back top-flight wins for the first time since May 2024, when Erik ten Hag was manager and Scott McTominay was starting upfront. Amorim revealed that he would use this potential achievement as inspiration for his players against Liverpool during a motivational prematch briefing.

Amorim: Fernandes Will Be Ready

Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes has been linked with an exit from Man Utd. | Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Amorim’s side could have ended their wait for consecutive wins on their trip to Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium at the end of September. Fresh from a 2–1 victory over Chelsea, United had the chance to draw level against the Bees midway through the second half from a penalty, only for Fernandes to once again fail to find the back of the net.

That was the second spot kick Fernandes has missed this season and the sixth he has squandered since joining Manchester United in 2020. No Premier League player has missed more penalties than the Portuguese skipper over the last five years.

Yet, despite his recent struggles, Fernandes will remain United’s first-choice option from 12 yards under Amorim. “Yes, he’s the main taker,” the head coach smiled ahead of Sunday’s trip to Anfield. “I think he has 70 penalties and he misses nine—two with me.” Amorim was actually selling his captain short; Fernandes has only missed eight of the 70 penalties he has taken across his entire senior career.

“He’s really confident,” Amorim continued, unfazed by his statistical error. “He’s training [to take] the penalties, trying to understand that people are watching the way he [tries to] score penalties. So he will be ready.”

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Amorim Defiant As Man Utd Search for Premier League First.