Bruno Fernandes not showing complacency ahead of FA Cup tie v Liverpool

Bruno Fernandes is not getting complacent ahead of Manchester United’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Liverpool, despite Jurgen Klopp’s side facing a significant drop off from last season’s Premier League triumph.

Has it all caught up with them? An overachieving, over-performing side — not just in Europe but domestically?

It’s too early to say and Bruno Fernandes is not underestimating our opponents on Sunday.

A week on from the 0-0 Premier League draw at an empty Anfield, Liverpool head to Old Trafford in a cup competition Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should be aiming to win.

Liverpool suffered their first home league defeat since April 2017 on Thursday night, losing 1-0 to Burnley with a result that shocked the Premier League. Or did it?

They managed to qualify for the fourth-round after skipping past a coronavirus-hit Aston Villa side, but Fernandes believes they can bounce back at any point.

“I think teams have moments,” the Portugal international said, as per BreakingNews.ie (Press Association). “I don’t think Liverpool are playing poorly. I think they don’t win and this is the point.

“When teams don’t win, everyone talks about that. When players don’t score, everyone talks about that.

“I feel that on me because I know the standard is high, because I arrived and I scored a lot of goals and make a lot of assists, and everyone is wanting goals and assists from me.

“It is the same – everyone expects goals from (Mohamed) Salah, from (Roberto) Firmino and from (Sadio) Mane.

“They are not scoring in the last games and it starts feeling like ‘oh, they are not playing well’.

“They create, they play, but the other teams are playing better and, as I said before, they have more qualities to play.

“Every team goes there to play maybe without the pressure of the fans. Teams play a little bit more comfortably and, as I say, I think it is a moment.

“We don’t have to look at that moment because big teams and big players can show in every moment.”

Fernandes is still waiting to taste victory against the Scousers, so he’ll be eager to make amends for his poor display at Anfield.

“In the past already I have seen Manchester playing for a long time and I know what that game means for the fans,” he said.

“Everyone knows and of course, for us, it means a lot because it is a cup (tie) and it is a chance to put one of the strongest teams who are in the cup with us out, so we have to take that.

“Of course, we have so many teams in the cup in this moment that maybe you can have an easier game than this.

“But if you want to win the cup then you have to beat the biggest teams, so we have a chance now to beat one of the best that is left in the FA Cup.”

Read more: Video: Man United youngster Charlie McNeill shows ultimate composure with stunning brace v Leeds U18s

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