Manchester United are “over the moon” with the progress of Alvaro Fernandez on loan according to Preston North End’s manager, Ryan Lowe.
The young Spaniard has made 28 appearances for the Championship club since making the temporary move in the summer.
After spending a short spell out of the side, Fernandez has returned to the starting XI for the past two fixtures which have seen Preston draw with Luton and Hull City.
Impressing upon his return to the side, the left back earned the highest rating in both matches from LancsLive.
Vs Luton “7 – On front foot from the start and brought more dynamism to the performance. Provided more of a threat and made a key block to keep out Clark in the first half. Played a different role after the red card, which was good to see.
Vs Hull City “7 – Quiet in the first half but grew into the game and dribbled past defenders more in the second. Out on his feet by the end but stuck to his task defensively.
Preston’s manager Ryan Lowe has also grown a fondness of the 19 year old quipping “my Spanish is getting better anyway, because he cannot understand the scouse. But look, Alvaro is a good player isn’t he?”
After a red card for Ben Whiteman against Luton, Fernandez was thrusted into a central midfield role for the remainder of the match and took to it like a duck to water.
Lowe said after that match “when we moved him inside, he was getting the ball on the left, coming inside and causing them real problems. I thought he caused them problems in the first half – with the ball he put in, just wide of Troy. It was a great jump to take the ball and that’s what he has got. He’s been excellent when he’s played and his attitude and application has to stay the same, to keep performing at that level.”
Featuring regularly throughout the season, the loan spell is impressing United according to Lowe who added “in terms of the games he’s played for us and the minutes he’s played for us, I know Man United are absolutely over the moon with it.”
Lowe is keen to keep the youngster grounded though and is happy with the running battle between Fernandez and fellow United academy graduate, Robbie Brady, for the left wing-back role.
“Because he is a good player, but he’s still young, naïve and we still have to tactically tell him what to do and what not to do. Even at the end there, he’s asking if he should jump or not. His awareness, defending, has got a lot better and it’s a learning process for Alvaro. When he plays and performs the way he can, he’s a very good player. The rotation we have, with him and Robbie – we have a youngster who can be on the front foot and then a bit more experience defensively and offensively. So, it’s a good battle between the two of them and we feel either can do the job required when picked.”