Man United fans react to Bruno Fernandes’ Cantona moment vs West Ham
Bruno Fernandes caught the eye with a stunning goal in Manchester United’s friendly against West Ham on Saturday.
The Red Devils went up against the Hammers in the early hours of Sunday morning (UK time) and Saturday night local time at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey as part of the Premier League Summer Series.
A Fernandes brace gave United a 2-0 lead before Jarrod Bowen brought West Ham back into it, but Ruben Amorim’s men held on.
United have won two, drawn one and lost one this pre-season so far and still have further friendlies against Bournemouth, Everton and Fiorentina to look forward to before a tough start to the 2025/26 Premier League season against Arsenal.
Bruno Fernandes wows with Cantona moment vs West Ham
Fernandes put United ahead after just five minutes from the penalty spot, but it was his second strike that really caught the eye.
The Portugal international executed a beautiful finish into the corner from 20 yards out after Hammers ‘keeper Alphonse Areola had given away possession.
| Man United stats | Bruno Fernandes |
| Appearances | 290 |
| Goals | 98 |
| Assists | 86 |
As captain and a key outlet in the final third, Fernandes will play a huge role in Amorim’s attempted United revival this season after finishing 15th and losing the Europa League final in 2024/25.
And supporters were quick to praise their talisman for a stunning goal, hinting at optimism for what could lie ahead for Fernandes in the upcoming campaign.
Jim Ratcliffe urged to back off Man United’s transfer dealings
Fernandes’ performance against West Ham has sparked hope of better days ahead among United fans, but there is still a lot of surgery required on this squad — even after bringing in the likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
The Red Devils are in need of a huge boost at No.9 after existing options Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee registered just seven Premier League goals combined last season.
And Amorim will also want to bolster his backline, especially after the departures of Viktor Lindelof and Jonny Evans.
But United could have been much further along in their build were it not for meddling shareholder Jim Ratcliffe — according to former Everton and Aston Villa chief Keith Wyness.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Ratcliffe could have had Branthwaite from Everton if they’d come in at a sensible level before. So they’re missing opportunities because he’s playing it too simplistically. There’s a much more sophisticated way that the transfer market operates.
“They got the Mbeumo deal across the line, but it was looking dodgy for a while. I think Spurs were coming in and offering that £70m.
“Is he worth it? I think with him and Cunha, they still need a striker in front of those two. That’s the key that we haven’t seen yet, that striker. Right now, they’re going to be stuck with what they’ve got.
“There is a danger that United will miss out if they don’t move quickly, and I think it’s possibly Ratcliffe who’s interfering in transfers. I know he’s been accused of doing it in his cycling team, getting involved in the details and the actual hiring of cyclists. I would hope that he leaves this to the experts, because at the moment they’re playing a poor game.”