Paul Merson has urged Michael Carrick to keep Bruno Fernandes in Manchester United’s team and called for greater consistency from Matheus Cunha, despite the club’s dramatic 3-2 comeback against Roma.
United recovered from two goals down to claim their first victory in 10 matches, but Merson believes the result did not disguise the weaknesses that remain. He also questioned whether the momentum would continue into Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Aston Villa.
Manchester United need Bruno Fernandes, says Merson
Merson said Fernandes remains United’s best player and should be involved even when his form is below its highest level.
“I think Bruno Fernandes has to play for Manchester United. He’s their best player, and when you’re going through a difficult period, you need your best players on the pitch,” he said.
Fernandes had the composure to take a second penalty after missing his first attempt, earning praise from Merson for accepting the responsibility under intense pressure.
“It takes a lot to miss a penalty, then have the courage to step up and take it again,” Merson said. “The pressure was severely on him, so fair play to him.”
He added: “You need him on side. As long as he plays well, they will always have a chance of winning.”
Merson also warned that United must produce more sustained performances rather than relying on short bursts of quality.
“They need to become much more of a 90-minute team,” he said. “You need 70 or 75 minutes of good football, not 10 minutes here and 15 minutes there.”
Matheus Cunha challenged to find consistency
Cunha was described by Merson as a passionate player, but the former footballer said the forward could no longer afford to alternate between outstanding displays and ineffective ones at a club of United’s stature.
“He’s a nine or a four,” Merson said. “At Wolves, he could be a nine one week and they would win a football match. The following week he might be a four and they wouldn’t win.”
He argued that United players must perform to a consistently high standard, saying: “When you play for a club of that size, you’ve got to be a seven or a seven-and-a-half every week. You can be an eight, you can have a nine, but you can’t be a nine one week and a four the next.”
Merson said the pressure surrounding United reflected the expectations attached to one of the world’s biggest clubs, adding that standards had to match that environment.
Roma comeback does not convince Merson
Although he credited United with showing character to recover from 2-0 down, Merson felt they had benefited from a series of favourable moments during the comeback.
He pointed to the retaken penalty, a mistake by Roma’s defence and the winning goal, which he believed a Premier League goalkeeper would not usually concede at the near post.
“They showed a lot of bottle but they rode their luck,” Merson said. “It was a brilliant comeback and it could be the result that turns their season around. But I don’t think you can look at that performance and say everything has suddenly changed.”
He said he felt sympathy for Carrick, insisting: “I don’t think it’s him; I think it’s the players.”
Merson expects Aston Villa to offer a more revealing test on Sunday and does not believe United will necessarily carry their European momentum into the Premier League.
“I don’t see the Roma result as a turnaround for Manchester United. I think it’s a start, but if I’m being honest, I don’t see them getting anything from Aston Villa on Sunday,” he said.
United host Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday, with kick-off at 4.30pm.
