“We want to play from the back and everyone knows that and then we have to make the right decision on the pitch,” Fernandes added.
“Andre [Onana] I thought Matt [De Ligt] he could have received the ball, but he missed and they scored a goal.
United are not alone in wanting to build their game from the back, with this style of play becoming increasingly popular over the last few years.
When it works, it’s a strong way to play the press. When it fails, it often ends in spectacular failure.
Ruben Amorim, like many modern managers, enjoys possession-based football, with the goalkeeper preferring to play short passes rather than long shots.
De Light has been identified as a player who may have problems playing like Amorim, and part of the blame for Viktoria Plzen’s goal was also placed on the defender.
“It’s their fault,” said former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves.
“De Ligt doesn’t really want that, that’s why he comes back, but he has to get to the ball so they can get the ball into goal.
“Amorim wants his centre-backs to get in there and receive the ball. It’s a difficult position.”
Former Arsenal midfielder Karen Carney added: “In the case of the Viktoria Plzeň goal, it is a slow ball to the feet of Andre Onana by Lisandro Martinez and what he then says to De Ligt is not true. If they do this, he will be able to deflect it to the other side and avoid high pressure.
“But De Ligt is on the defensive and doesn’t want the ball, he’s too slow to react and then a mistake is made.”
