Bruno Fernandes believes Arsenal's goal against Manchester United on Sunday shouldn't have stood, with the Portugal international taking aim at Premier League officials following their 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils went into the game with new energy, having recruited the likes of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko during the summer.
However, despite dominating large spells of the game, United ended up crashing to defeat with Riccardo Calafiori netting the only goal of the game.
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The Italy international headed home at the back post, with United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir getting a weak hand to the ball while under pressure from William Saliba.
Bruno Fernandes believes Arsenal's goal against Manchester United on Sunday shouldn't have stood, with the Portugal international taking aim at Premier League officials following their 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford
|REUTERS
It was a frustrating day for United, especially given how well they performed in front of their own supporters.
And Fernandes expressed his annoyance after the game, with the Red Devils skipper admitting he felt Calafiori's goal should have been disallowed due to Saliba's antics.
“Altay was saying in the moment he goes to push the ball, he gets a touch," he told Sky Sports.
"But we know in the Premier League they don’t give much in these type of situations, even if they had a meeting with us saying that if the players are blocking and not looking at the ball, they will whistle more.”
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Fernandes admitted he was pleased with United's overall performance, however, and lamented their failure to take their chances.
"It's the first game of the season, so we can't speak about step forward," stated the 30-year-old, who turned down big offers from Saudi Arabia to stay this summer.
"We did a lot of good things, but obviously, [it] wasn't enough.
"We concede a goal from a set-piece in the first half, and I think from there on, Arsenal didn't have any good chances, they didn't create any good chances.
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Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat Man Utd at Old Trafford
|REUTERS
"We were defending very well, I think.
"Again, we created too many chances without scoring, so that's a point we have to look at and make it better next time.
"I think we controlled [the game] well.
"We were very good on the ball and, as I said, we created some chances, but we didn't score. I think that's the main negative of the game for us today.
United boss Ruben Amorim, meanwhile, agreed with Fernandes and expressed a belief that Bayindir should have been given a foul for Arsenal's winner.
"More or less the same that happened sometimes last year. For me, it's not playing the ball, it's protecting the guys that they are attacking," he said.
"I understand that we want goals, but when you're touching the goalkeeper in that way, I think it's hard.
"And especially to lose with a goal like this, I think it's hard. It's hard to be strong when you have to push and to go for the ball.
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Bruno Fernandes was pleased with Manchester United's performance in their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal
|REUTERS
"Sometimes you are pushing and then you don't have more hands to go for the ball.
"We need to be stronger in that moment, but, especially, we need to do the same thing in the opposite side. So, we are not changing the rules. We have to adapt to the rules."