BRUNO FERNANDES defended team-mate Jesse Lingard following his critics this season.
Lingard scored in the 97th minute as Manchester United secured a top three finish with a 2-0 final day victory at Leicester.
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It was his only goal in the league, following an inconsistent run in the squad throughout the season.
But winter signing Fernandes, who scored eight goals in 14 Prem matches, insisted Lingard deserved his goal at the King Power.
He told MUTV: “Of course it’s a mistake from the keeper also but if Jesse doesn’t go there the goal doesn’t come so it’s for this we work.
“For me Jesse deserved this goal because for what he works all week, for all the comments everyone is saying about him and other players because they don’t play too much or they don’t play good enough.
“I think this is the reason Jesse scored because we’re training hard, training hard to help all the team.”
Lingard’s last-gasp goal cost one Liverpool fan £670 after they bet he would not contribute to a single goal in the league campaign.
Fernandes opened the scoring against the Foxes, but reckons their second was the vital strike.
He explained: “I think the most important one will be the next.
“I’m always thinking about the next one. I’m happy, all goals are important in different ways.
“It was important for us and for me to score this goal because it gives us the chance to be more calm in the game.”
