Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick to guide Manchester United to a 4-1 victory over 10-man Real Sociedad at Old Trafford on Thursday, securing a spot in the Europa League quarter-finals against French club Lyon.
The win was crucial for United, who were looking to salvage their season under manager Ruben Amorim and secure European football for next year. The night, however, got off to a rocky start as Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty after Matthijs de Ligt fouled him in the box.
But United responded quickly. In the 11th minute, Fernandes levelled the score with a penalty after Igor Zubeldia fouled Rasmus Hojlund, who was charging toward goal.
The home side found the lead just before the half-hour mark with another penalty. This time, Aritz Elustondo was penalised for a foul on Patrick Dorgu, and Fernandes again made no mistake from the spot, scoring his 14th goal of the season.
Sociedad’s chances of a comeback dwindled midway through the second half when Jon Aramburu was shown a red card for pulling down Dorgu, who was through on goal. United capitalised, with Fernandes netting his third of the night in the 75th minute, calmly finishing across goal to make it 3-1.
Diogo Dalot sealed the win with a fourth goal in stoppage time, a powerful strike from distance.
Despite criticism from former United captain Roy Keane regarding his leadership and consistency, Fernandes stepped up when it mattered most. The 30-year-old, whose leadership has often been questioned, showed composure under pressure, especially when he converted all three penalties on the night. His performance served as a timely reminder of his importance to the team.
In scoring his hat-trick, Bruno Fernandes has also become the player with the most goal involvements in UEFA Europa League history with 41 (24 goals, 17 assists).
Manchester United will now face Lyon in the quarter-finals, with Fernandes’ hat-trick giving them a much-needed morale boost heading into the next stage of the competition.
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