The dreaded international break has seemingly come at the worst possible time for Manchester United, with the Red Devils having just begun to find their groove under new boss Ruben Amorim.
Prior to this recent halt to proceedings, the Old Trafford side notably put four past Real Sociedad in the Europa League, before breezing past relegations strugglers, Leicester City in their most recent outing.
Following that 3-0 win over Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Foxes, Amorim admitted that it was a “shame” that the international break was set to follow. His captain, Bruno Fernandes, is likely to have felt the same.
It was the Portuguese playmaker who rounded off that King Power rout with a delightful, sweeping finish from just outside the area, with that effort having been the 30-year-old’s fourth goal that week, after also netting a hat-trick just a few days earlier.
With six goals and assists to his name in his last four Premier League outings – having also scored in the FA Cup against Fulham – the former Sporting CP star is bang in form at this crucial stage of the campaign, with Europa League success likely to rest largely on his shoulders.
Bruno Fernandes' record under Amorim
Speaking earlier this month, Fernandes admitted that he had spoken with the United hierarchy about his future at the club last summer, having received an “offer” to leave the Red Devils.
Thankfully, as far as INEOS are concerned, the £300k-per-week hero opted to instead extend his contract at Old Trafford, with the midfielder now once again a key figure under the new Amorim regime.
Year in, year out, the 78-cap international steps up and delivers for the Manchester side, with it no surprise that his new boss lauded him as a “special guy” following that latest win in Leicester.
Despite initial question marks over where he would fit into his compatriot’s 3-4-3 set-up, Fernandes has inevitably made himself a key cog in Amorim’s machine, as his recent form has indicated.
From initially lining up in one of the two number ten berths, the one-time Udinese man has since dropped into a deep-lying berth alongside Manuel Ugarte or Casemiro, with that alteration having proven particularly fruitful of late.
Erik ten Hag
120
29
32
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
97
44
34
Ruben Amorim
27
12
8
Ralf Rangnick
26
5
5
Ruud van Nistelrooy
4
4
2
Michael Carrick
3
1
1
Total
277
95
82
Indeed, since Amorim took charge, Fernandes has already registered 20 goals and assists in just 27 games in all competitions, with the 2020 arrival having featured the most number of times for the new boss, alongside Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui.
Like their captain, both men have proven themselves to be readily available and largely dependable in recent months, with Mazraoui particularly shining of late.
Man Utd's new Bruno Fernandes
What sets Fernandes apart in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era is not only his goal contributions, but also his availability, having missed just a handful of games in over five years in English football. It is no wonder that Amorim has described him as the “perfect captain”.
Similar praise has, however, been dished out for Mazraoui, with the 40-year-old stating that the Moroccan defender is the “future of our team”:
“He understands the game. He knows how to attack, he’s very technical, he’s very good defensively and he’s very good one-on-one. He’s a modern player. I think he’s the future of our team.
When you think about him, you think we need more players like Nous that can control the tempo, they are really, really good and comfortable with the ball. So, Nous, I’m really happy with him.”
As his regular involvement under Amorim has illustrated, the ex-Bayern Munich man is not one to shy away from the action, with his manager also describing him as “amazing” for continuing to perform despite being physically “dead” on his feet.
Not only is the 27-year-old alike to Fernandes in that regard, but his versatility is also particularly key, having so far operated on either flank, or in the centre of defence in the 3-4-3, while having previously played in a number ten berth against Fenerbahce under Erik ten Hag.
Fernandes, for instance, has played in a deep-lying role or in a more advanced attacking berth of late, while he did also operate in a wide role during Ten Hag’s tenure.
Similar to his skipper too, Mazraoui has also been one of the rare transfer success stories of modern times, with journalist Liam Canning describing him as “one of United’s best signings in the past 10 years”, as he is “so technically good and intelligent” and – as alluded to – “can fill in anywhere”.
It is the full-back’s technical quality that truly does set him apart as he appears at ease when gliding forward with the ball at his feet, while he also ranks in the top 5% of top-flight full-backs for tackles made per 90, again illustrating his commitment to the cause. In the words of Statman Dave, he is a “10/10 every game”.
Rarely in the last decade or so, have United been able to look back fondly on a transfer, but if the early signs are anything to go by, then the £13m capture of Mazraoui could well buck that trend – as Fernandes has already done before him.
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