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Giggs fears Fernandes may be a ‘liability’ for Man Utd

...as he urges boss Solskjaer to find his best position

Ryan Giggs fears Bruno Fernandes could be a defensive “liability” for Manchester United as he urged Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to find the new signing’s best position.

Bruno Fernandes made an instant impression on the Manchester United fans after being voted our Man of the Match on his debut in the 0-0 draw with Wolves.

After the Portugal midfielder finally completed a £55million transfer to Old Trafford, he made his debut in a goalless home draw against Wolves on Saturday.
Fernandes – who scored 63 goals in 137 Sporting Lisbon games – started alongside Fred and Andreas Pereira in a midfield three.

Despite appearing to play further forward than Fred and Pereira, the 25-year-old was forced to drop back deep without the freedom of playing in the No10 role.

United legend Giggs worries the midfielder could be exposed with his back to goal, as he told former team-mate Solskjaer to identify where Fernandes is most comfortable operating.

Giggs told Premier League productions: “We saw glimpses of the quality he does possess. I think it might need a bit of working out what his best position is.

“With his back to goal, I don’t think that’s his position. When he’s a little bit deeper, defensively, he may be a bit of a liability. He’s in between the two really.

“That’s where you want to see him, coming on to the ball. But also you see when he is that little bit deeper he can spray the passes, he has got the vision to then play those passes.

“But then you need the runs. I think he’ll want to find his best position first of all. He tired towards the end but you can see the quality that he has got.”

United have had a similar problem with France World Cup winner Paul Pogba, who has been a regular in the starting 11, but deployed all across the midfield.

Pogba has been used in a holding pair, a No10 behind the striker and as a deep-lying midfielder since re-signing for the club in 2016.

read also:Fernandes, Ighalo not among the highest paid Man Utd players

When the ex-Juventus star returns to the United starting 11 alongside Fernandes, Solskjaer will have to decide if he will allow the creative pair the freedom to play further afield, or whether one of them will have to drop back in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

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