Is Bruno Fernandes becoming a problem for Erik ten Hag's Manchester United?

The Red Devils need a change of air in the No. 10 position.

Seeing Bruno Fernandes as a player has always been a joy to watch but sometimes frustrating. The former Sporting CP playmaker confronts opponents frequently, falls to the ground too readily, and never misses an opportunity to criticize his teammates when things aren’t going well. During Fernandes’ tenure at Manchester United, most of that has been overlooked because he regularly made a significant difference in the attack.

However, it is no longer the case this season. In front of an irate Old Trafford crowd, Fernandes’ most recent performance provoking flinching came in Manchester United’s Europa League opener against Twente, where the Dutch team fought to a 1-1 draw.

Against Twente, Fernandes touched the ball 72 times. The 30-year-old never stops chasing the ball, demanding it, and, once he has it, he always seeks out the quickest path to the goal.

Regretfully, he is performing far less well than is necessary. On Wednesday night, Fernandes lost the ball 19 different times due to misdirected passes and poor first touches.

Should Fernandes be subbed off more?

This season, Bruno Fernandes has started every game for United in the Premier League and has only ever been replaced once, in the 79th minute of their 2-1 loss to Brighton away from home. Fernandes lost the ball more than ten times in every league game this season. He gave up possession 34 times in the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace, which was nearly twice as much as any other Manchester United player.

Bruno Fernandes isn’t a reliable decision-maker for United. To put it politely, he has inconsistent shooting and frequently just goes for the goal himself rather than looking up to see if a teammate is in a better spot.

The Portuguese international is fourth in the Premier League standings for most ‘big opportunities’ wasted (three), and he has had the highest number of shots without scoring in the top five leagues in Europe (17). Ten Hag needs to be extremely concerned about these figures.

🚨 What’s gone wrong for Man United so far?Erik ten Hag: “We have to score more goals”.“That is the problem, the key area is to score more goals as a team. We have players across the team who have the ability to score, that is clear”. pic.twitter.com/u7jcB0z8Oa

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 26, 2024

Time for Ten Hag to experiment?

There are numerous alternatives available to United for the No. 10 spot. Joshua Zirkzee, a former star of Bologna and Bayern Munich, has a strong desire to drop deeper and link up play. Zirkzee was brought in to compete with Rasmus Hojlund for minutes ahead. Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo, two wingers, are also sufficiently adaptable to play central roles.

Mason Mount’s best position at Chelsea was No. 10. Now that he has fully recovered, the player can be deployed in the same position at United. Eriksen, on the other hand, has recently had a comeback in holding midfield. He can play higher up the field and is unquestionably superior to Bruno Fernandes at keeping the ball moving.

Time to drop Fernandes?

When Twente came to visit, it would have been ideal to give Bruno Fernandes a break and try a new combination, but Ten Hag missed the chance. If Manchester United are serious about returning to the Champions League, they cannot rely so much on one player.

It might be time for Ten Hag to make a tough decision. It might work because if he drops Fernandes then it will be a wake-up call for the former Sporting CP player. Rather than being the main man at the club, Fernandes should share his responsibilities which will be good for the club and their performance going forward.

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