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Manchester United have endured a very underwhelming and frustrating season but it could have arguably been much worse without the contributions of their fantastic captain Bruno Fernandes.
United currently lie in sixth place in the Premier League table with four top-flight games left to play. The team has suffered 12 losses and six draws, the most recent one of which was against Burnley last weekend.
Earlier in the campaign, the Red Devils were also knocked out of both the Champions League and Carabao Cup in humiliating fashion.
Erik ten Hag’s men have been accused of lacking a recognisable style of play and a coherent way of beating opponents and it’s believed that these are some of the main reasons behind why the Dutchman’s job at Old Trafford is hanging in the balance.
It has been suggested that a managerial change could be made in the summer, with a number of top coaches being lined up to potentially replace the under-fire Ten Hag.
However, the 54-year-old coach can thank his skipper, Fernandes, for any little hope he has of convincing the club’s top brass that he’s the right man to lead United forward.
During a tumultuous term, Fernandes has been one of the few beacons of brilliance fans have leaned on, especially in recent games. The Portugal international is in red-hot form as evidenced by the fact that he has scored seven goals and registered two assists in United’s last six games across all competitions.
Even more impressive, he has created nine chances in each of the club’s last three clashes vs. Coventry City, Sheffield United and Burnley.
Bruno Fernandes created NINE chances (4 big chances) against Burnley, he is the only player in the Premier League this season to create 9 chances in back-to-back games.
Vision. 👑👑👑 pic.twitter.com/hy726U99oE
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) April 27, 2024
Squawka have unveiled several metrics showcasing Fernandes’ top rank within United, emphasizing his pivotal importance to the team throughout this season.
The Portuguese midfielder has scored the most goals at the club and also has the most assists to his name. To be more specific, Fernandes has plundered 15 goals and 11 assists in 45 matches across all competitions.
Other metrics in which the 29-year-old ranks above his teammates include: shots, shots on target, chances created, high turnovers (situations where possession of the ball is lost in potentially dangerous areas), possessions, possessions won in the final third of the pitch (regaining possession in the opponent’s defensive area leading to goalscoring opportunities) and possessions won in the middle third of the pitch (regaining possession in the central area of the pitch to sustain pressure and mount attacking ventures).
He also leads the team in terms of the most successful final third passes, most successful passes into the opponent’s half, most successful passes into the opposition box, most through balls, most flick-ons, most lay-offs, most crosses and most duels.
These stats highlight Fernandes’ exceptional quality, versatility and proficiency across various aspects of play.
Bruno Fernandes for Man Utd in the Premier League this season:
◉ Most G/A
◉ Most goals
◉ Most assists
◉ Most shots
◉ Most shots on target
◉ Most chances created
◉ Most high turnovers
◉ Most possession won
◉ Most possession won final ⅓
◉ Most possession won middle ⅓… pic.twitter.com/WA1CXgJ6yv— Squawka (@Squawka) April 29, 2024
Not only is he a creative playmaker and versatile attacker, but he’s also a key star in transition as proven by the number of passes he delivers into dangerous territories of the pitch. He’s also strong defensively and is actively engaged in proceedings considering he has won the most duels. It sheds light on his tenacity and relentless work rate.
Amidst suggestions that INEOS could accept offers for him in the summer, the above could perhaps convince the new powerbrokers at United why it wouldn’t be advisable to cut ties with the midfielder just yet.
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