Bruno Fernandes: We ‘knew’ Cristiano Ronaldo would score

Bruno Fernandes praised teammate Cristiano Ronaldo for his winner against Villarreal on Wednesday night, saying he ‘knew’ that the striker would score.

Fernandes was well aware of the 36-year-old forward’s abilities given the pair play together for the Portuguese national team.

Jesse Lingard’s clever intervention in the 95th minute set up Ronaldo to fire home a late winner after Alex Telles had supplied an equaliser.

After the match, Fernandes said to MUTV: “I always had the feeling we would win the game, also when they scored I feel we could come again and turn it around.

“After the goal of Alex (Telles), everyone feels the atmosphere was unbelievable. The push from the fans was incredible.

“We knew it with Cristiano, at any moment, every ball in the box could be a goal.

“As you see, we started to make a little bit more crosses, we started to attack more down the wings and make crosses, put the ball in the box, because we know Edi and Cristiano at any moment with the ball in the box, whether it bounces or goes towards the keeper, they have the feeling.

“They are the strikers who have the feeling for the goal. They feel it and Cristiano did it once again, and he will do it more and more in the current season.

“He and Edi [Cavani] and Anthony [Martial] will be really important for us because they will score many, many goals.”

Fernandes was also captain with Harry Maguire not playing, and he said: “It’s a great feeling. As I said before, when I was captain for the first time against PSG, in the Champions League also, it means a lot.

“I think for every player who can have the armband and lead in some way the lads in the game, it’s a proud moment for everyone. I’m part of this proud people.”