Turmoil has been no stranger to Old Trafford in recent years; the club has employed 10 managers since Alex Ferguson left in May 2013. Their 15th-placed finish last season – their lowest since they were relegated in 1974 – was a new low. But there has been one bright spot through all the disappointments: Bruno Fernandes playing world-class football and reminding everyone what United can be at their best. This season, at 32, he continues to stand out.
In November, he revealed the club had been open to the idea of him moving to Saudi Arabia. “The club wanted me to leave,” he said. “From the club I felt: ‘If you go it’s not that bad for us.’ It hurts me a bit. I decided not to go, not only for family reasons, but because I genuinely like the club.” Fans will be delighted he stayed.
The playmaker joined the club from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020. Over the last six years and 315 appearances, he has been remarkably consistent. His goal in the 2-0 win against Tottenham a fortnight ago brought up 200 goal contributions. A milestone he has reached 25 games sooner than Cristiano Ronaldo – and also quicker than Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs or David Beckham.
Having surpassed one benchmark, he is chasing another. Twenty assists remains the record for a Premier League season – set by Thierry Henry in the 2002-03 season and matched by Kevin De Bruyne 2019-20. Fernandes is on 12 this season, with 14 games left to play. That might seem like an uphill battle, but Fernandes has been in a league of his own this season. He has created more chances than any other player in the league – 78, which is 27 clear of Declan Rice in second and 46 above the next best United player, Amad Diallo.
Fernandes has been United’s most creative player for a long time. What makes his form even more remarkable is the backdrop against which it has unfolded. He has been coached by Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Michael Carrick, Ralf Rangnick, Erik ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ruben Amorim in the last six years. Each new manager has brought a new tactical identity (or lack of one), and the club has gone through a series of controversies and ongoing fan anger with the the club’s owners. And yet Fernandes has hit double figure goals and assists in every season since he joined, scoring 104 goals and setting up 96.
His ability to block out the background noise has been on display once again this season. Fernandes found himself at the centre of a tactical debacle during Amorim’s time in charge. The head coach persisted stubbornly with a three-man defence that meant Fernandes – United’s deadliest threat in the final third – was shoehorned into a deeper midfield role.
The problem with Amorim’s rigid formation was simple. It demanded that Fernandes do more defensive work, take fewer risks and remain more disciplined with his positioning. He thrives on movement, chaos and quick combinations, drifting between lines, taking risks and arriving in the box at the right time to score or set up goals. Instead, he received the ball further from goal, was easier to mark and was burdened with defensive responsibilities that do not suit his style.
Fernandes accepted it, saying: “You can put me anywhere on the pitch. If you want me to play wing-back, goalkeeper, centre-back, I will do it to the best of my abilities.” But willingness does not guarantee success, and in trying to impose control and structure, Amorim dulled United’s most unpredictable and influential player. His five goals and seven assists under Amorim this season were testament to his individual brilliance rather than his manager’s choices.
Carrick wisely changed course when he took over in January. Fernandes was restored to an attacking midfield role, given space to roam the freedom he needed to thrive: “Michael came in with the right idea of giving the players the freedom to take responsibility on the pitch, to make the decisions that were needed,” Fernandes said after United’s 2-0 win over Spurs. It was hardly rocket science; he moved one of the world’s best No 10s into the No 10 position.
The contrast between United’s two performances against Manchester City this season illustrates the impact of Fernandes playing his natural role. In the 3-0 defeat under Amorim in September, Fernandes looked uncomfortable in a deeper midfield position. That was evident in City’s first goal, when he failed to track Phil Foden’s late run into the box.
Guardiola targeted United’s midfield. Jérémy Doku moved inside and rotated positions with Foden, which created central overloads. Fernandes was asked to screen space, track runners and manage rotations against one of the most sophisticated midfields in Europe and he didn’t have the positional discipline and defensive awareness to do it. To make matters worse, he spent most of the game in positions where he could not hurt City.
Fast forward to Carrick’s first game in charge. Fernandes was restored to his No 10 role, which freed him from defensive duties and meant he was in the right places to hurt City. He had a goal and assist ruled out for offside before he set up the opener. It was the first time in a long time that something looked right at Old Trafford. Describing him as “Cantona-esque” Gary Neville summed it up succinctly: “That’s where he’s got to play: near to goal, he can hurt them.” A 2-0 win over title-chasing City felt like more than just a derby victory; it felt like a return to their identity, a reminder that United at their best are built around their No 10.
Since returning to the No 10 role, he has been at the centre of almost everything United do well: 27 of the 78 chances he has created this season have come in the last six league games, and he has added six assists in eight matches across all competitions since Amorim’s dismissal. United are playing with fluidity and confidence, and Fernandes is pulling the strings. The way he is performing he might just catch Henry and De Bruyne’s assist record.
This is an article by WhoScored
