Bruno Fernandes knows Manchester United have a “mountain to climb” if they are to keep their Champions League campaign alive following Wednesday’s chaotic late defeat at Copenhagen.
A night that began with talented Rasmus Hojlund’s brace against his former club ended in a crushing 4-3 loss sparked by Marcus Rashford’s contentious red card late in the first half.
United boss Erik ten Hag was unhappy with that decision and disputed the Copenhagen goals that quickly followed from Mohamed Elyounoussi and Diogo Goncalves.
Fernandes put Ten Hag’s 10 men back ahead from the penalty spot in the second half, only for Lukas Lerager and substitute Roony Bardghji to inflict United’s third defeat in four Group A games.
It leaves the Red Devils bottom and facing an early Champions League exit, with defeat at Galatasaray sealing that before hosting already-qualified leaders Bayern Munich in their final match.
“We have a mountain to climb, so we must climb,” captain Fernandes told Uefa after the defeat at Parken. “We have two games and we have to win those two games.
“Before tonight, our aim already was to win our remaining three games. We couldn’t win today. We have to win the next two.”
Fernandes continued that theme when speaking to MUTV, saying: “You have to win them if you want to keep in the Champions League and stay in the best competition.
“We have to win against the best, so we have a really tough game away against Galatasaray and after, we play against the top of the group. We want to win both but now we have to focus on Luton (in the Premier League on Saturday) because it’s going to be a tough game again. We need three points in the league, we need to get back to the winning track after this defeat and keeping on the winning track in the Premier League.”
United’s clash with promoted Luton will be key to the mood around Old Trafford heading into the international break.
Defeat in Saturday’s Premier League match would send the club into a tailspin on the back of some poor performances and a galling loss in Denmark.
“I think for everything we did in the game, we could – and we should – have got something from the game,” disappointed skipper Fernandes said.
“It’s difficult at the moment. Obviously the mood is not the best because I think we’ve fought so hard with 10 men.
“Even from then, it was playing against a team that plays really good on the ball and apart from that, many decisions that were against us.
“Today was a tough day but I think the team effort was good, we tried.
“We could have done some things better, but it was difficult for us from the 30 minutes on, playing with one player less.”
Rashford’s red card is sure to be pored over in the aftermath but United dealt well with being a man down after half-time.
“Yeah, of course, we understood that we could get something from the game, we could win the game there,” Fernandes added.
“But obviously, as we said, it’s difficult to play so long with 10 men.
“In some moments they will get spaces because you’re running behind the ball, you’re trying to get into everywhere with every player.
“It’s difficult to cover so much space and they got their two goals to win the game.”
