What we learned from Man Utd's win over West Ham

Bruno Fernandes underlined his importance to Manchester United by scoring twice as they opened their US pre-season tour with a 2-1 victory over West Ham at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

United have spent more than £120m on attacking players this summer in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo but it was their captain who proved the difference, punishing two errors by Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Fernandes scored a fifth-minute penalty and added his second just after half-time from outside the box.

Jarrod Bowen pulled one back in the 63rd minute and United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir then made an excellent save to deny the West Ham captain in injury time but Ruben Amorim's side secured victory in their opening match of the four-team Premier League Summer Series.

Just three weeks before the Premier League action starts, what else did we learn?

On Friday, Amorim outlined his plan to drop Fernandes deeper this season rather than push him into one of the two number 10 roles crucial to his system.

Maybe we should learn not to pay too much attention to the head coach, who picked Fernandes as the right-sided number 10 alongside Cunha, as £65m new arrival Bryan Mbeumo is not deemed fit enough to be involved just yet.

It meant there was a familiarity about the way Fernandes drifted into space in search of the ball and when he got it, generally tried something inventive.

But on another of those nights when United created a number of chances, it was Fernandes who found the net, scoring from the penalty spot after Areola had fouled Ayden Heaven.

His second came from another Areola mistake, when the keeper's poor pass was pounced on by Kobbie Mainoo. He found Fernandes, who lifted a shot into the far corner.

Fernandes brought more to the game than his goals. He had played in Rasmus Hojlund in the first minute, with the Denmark striker bursting on to the ball, showing good strength as he went shoulder to shoulder with Hammers defender Max Killman before rattling the post with his shot.

It was an overall performance that will leave fans thankful that the Portugal midfielder, the club's player of the year, rejected a huge offer from the Saudi Pro-League club early in the summer.

After the match, Amorin praised Fernandes for being a "leader, not just on the field, but also off it" and said the 30-year-old "will have more help this season".

Fernandes scored 19 goals and registered 19 assists in 57 games last season as United finished 15th in the league and reached the Europa League final.

When asked about Fernandes' importance to the team, Amorim said: "It was so clear last season, you can see it with the goals and assists. But it's not just that.

"I think now he has more players, I feel, to help him to lead the group, and that is a good thing.

"Sometimes, the problem is he gets frustrated and loses a little bit of focus of his job. Sometimes, he wants to help the teammates so much, it is not the best thing to do. They have to do their job, and Bruno has, for example, to wait for the ball."

He added: "Last year, I felt sometimes I pushed him back to have more possession in the build-up, and we miss Bruno near the box.

"With different characteristics from Bryan (Mbeumo) and Matheus Cunha - and I really like Kobbie Mainoo's game - he (Fernandes) will have more help this season."

Amorim was keen to play down suggestions afterwards that his starting line-up - who were all replaced with the exception of goalkeeper Bayindir after 65 minutes - will be the 11 to start against Arsenal at Old Trafford in the Premier League opener on 17 August.

But it does feel as if Amorim wants mobile, quick players to fill the outside defensive slots. De Ligt occupied the middle berth for the first half and beyond. Maguire then replaced him.

Neither was outstanding - but neither made any significant errors. The fact De Ligt started suggests that he is just ahead at the moment if it is one from two with Maguire.

West Ham manager Graham Potter felt his side started each half poorly before growing into it.

They owe a huge amount to Bowen. His reading of the game and ability to spot an opening is impressive.

But his goal also exposed a lack of communication within the Manchester United ranks.

As Tomas Soucek charged deep into their half, left-sided central defender Heaven was too close to De Ligt in the defensive line, wing-back Patrick Dorgu was too far forward and neither Mainoo nor Toby Collyer addressed the growing threat from midfield.

It meant Bowen was able to pull wide, take Soucek's pass and drill a shot across Bayindir into the net.

"A really good goal," was how Potter described it. Amorim will probably think it should have been stopped. Communication is key.

United now travel to Chicago to face Bournemouth on Thursday (02:30 BST) at Soldier Field, where Mbeumo make his debut.

In Saturday's earlier Summer Series game, also at the MetLife, Bournemouth beat Everton 3-0.

Philip Billing, Dango Ouattara and Daniel Adu-Adjei sealed victory for Andoni Iraola's side.