Bruno Fernandes’ magic offers new hope in the Europa League

Bruno Fernandes scored a brace, including a brilliant second goal, to give Manchester United a crucial victory in the race for the Premier League’s top six.

On a day when rivals on that front, Newcastle, lost to Crystal Palace, Fernandes proved the key difference by scoring a penalty and a fine strike from 30 yards at Old Trafford.

A crucial but typically chaotic win for under-fire manager Erik ten Hag saw United sit three points clear of the Magpies on 53rd.

Three days on from the torturous work of their FA Cup semi-final triumph against Championship side Coventry, the Red Devils struggled against another side who will be playing in the second tier next season.

The under-fire Ten Hag side twice had to come from behind against Chris Wilder’s doomed Blades before Fernandes’ brace inspired an end to the hosts’ four-game winless run in the Premier League to move them up to sixth .

The hosts started brightly enough with 83% possession and 11 tries before Jayden Bogle capitalized on an Andre Onana error to open the scoring in front of a stunned Stretford End.

Harry Maguire quickly equalized against his former club, only for the Blades to hit back through Ben Brereton Diaz early in the second half.

Fernandes equalized for the hosts from the spot as the Blades conceded their 90th goal of the season – the most ever in a 38-game Premier League season – and more were to come.

The United skipper fired home an 81st-minute rocket from 25 yards before setting up Rasmus Hojlund to add another four minutes later.

Ineos sporting director Dave Brailsford watched the game alongside new United technical director Jason Wilcox at Old Trafford, where the hosts were again without a number of players through injury.

They made two changes from the shoot-out win against Coventry and the Blades made four changes on a night when youngster Oliver Arblaster was given the captaincy for the first time.

Wes Foderingham was among those brought in and produced an impressive display, started by brilliantly turning over Diogo Dalot’s hopeful effort from distance.

Antony proved a nuisance and Hojlund saw a poor drive denied by the Blades keeper, whose opposite number was soon embarrassed.

Onana’s poor first touch from a makeshift pass from centre-back Casemiro was followed by a hurried and wayward attempt to find Dalot, which was intercepted by Bogle and finished impressively by the Blades man.

It was a 35th-minute shocker that prompted the loud, self-deprecating support to mock the hosts and their under-fire manager.

But the Blades’ songstresses soon went from away victory to retirement as one of their own was leveled as their academy product Maguire met Alejandro Garnacho’s cross with a header at the near post.

The hosts started the second half brightly, only for Ben Osborn’s cutback to be tapped home by Brereton Diaz to spark the Blades’ frenzy.

It was another gut punch, but again the home side pulled through.

A mixture of fine defending from Auston Trusty and Dalot’s scrambling prevented the full-back from giving up a shot before the Blades defender was penalized for handing Maguire in the box.

Referee Michael Salisbury whistled for a spot kick before the ball hit the net, with Fernandes having to step up to crush Foderingham.

The embattled visitors continued to threaten, Brereton Diaz’s drive ricocheting just past Maguire before seeing an attempt at goal blocked.

But for all United’s problems this season, they have frequently shown an ability to dig deep in awkward moments.

Fernandes epitomizes that resilience and hit a 25-metre drive that flew into the top corner and lifted the roof in the 81st minute.

The relief was as palpable as the joy, Hojlund slotting home from close range from Fernandes’ cross soon after.

With the result all but assured – even by United’s shaky recent standards – the Ten Hag handed a debut to 18-year-old Ethan Wheatley, who became the 250th academy graduate to make a first-team debut for the club.

Additional reporting from PA