Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored as Manchester United sealed a 2-0 win against Everton in their latest Premier League fixture, on Saturday at Old Trafford. It was their first Premier League victory in three matches, with the team currently in sixth position (47 points).
Both penalties came courtesy of clumsy tackles in the box on Alejandro Garnacho and both were against the run of play. Everton were the dominant throughout the match against a United side, who repeatedly gave away the ball.
After converting the first penalty, Fernandes gave the ball to Rashford, who made it 2-0. Criticising the move, United legend Wayne Rooney told TNT Sports, “I think any club should have one penalty taker. I understand when a player is going through a tough period, but when it’s 1-0 it is risky.”
“The keepers study so much now, Jordan [Pickford] would have known his favourite way, but it is a game of cat and mouse. I used to practice and tell the goalkeepers what way. If I know them – I have scored past all of them – but it can be a bit more nervous,” he added.
Meanwhile, Fernandes explained the move to MUTV. “Obviously, as I said many times, we have more than one penalty-taker and we have a list in the dressing room. Marcus [Rashford] is the second name as a penalty taker and I am more than confident whenever Marcus steps up to take a penalty,” he said.
“I am more than confident that he can have the same effect as me. I did score the first one but I felt that with the second one, we should have changed because it then moves the mind a little bit of the goalkeeper. He has to move differently, he has to adapt to a different kind of penalty-taker, so I think it was the best decision for the team in order to help us get another goal.
“It was not because I wasn’t confident I would score, because I was, but because I spoke to Marcus and asked him if he wanted to take it. He said: ‘I would be happy to take one’, so I said ‘go ahead’,” he further added.
