Is Bruno Fernandes under-appreciated? Man Utd stars incredible attacking numbers analysed

Most chances created in PL 

Few players on the planet divide opinion more than Bruno Fernandes. Even amongst the Manchester United fanbase, the Portuguese midfielder has received criticism for his performances and on-field theatrics this season, but Fernandes has posted incredible attacking numbers since joining Man United from Sporting CP in January 2020. United’s transfer policy has rightly been derided across the last decade but Fernandes is a rare exception and the 29-year-old represents their best signing since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2012. So, does Bruno Fernandes receive the respect he deserves? 

With bottom of the league Sheffield United winning 2-1 at Old Trafford in midweek, Fernandes stepped up, once again, with two goals and an assist to secure a 4-2 win. The attacking midfielder is in a rich vein of form with six goals and an assist in his last four Premier League games. Fernandes has scored twice in consecutive games for the first time in his United career and his goal contributions have won Erik ten Hag’s men five points across their last three league games. While concerns over aspects of his game are legitimate, Fernandes has carried a poor United team for years and we’ve analysed the Portuguese magnifico’s numbers. 

Bruno Fernandes’ incredible attacking numbers this season

It’s been a dismal season for Man United with Erik ten Hag failing to replicate the relative success of his debut campaign in England. United crashed out of the Champions League despite a relatively kind draw and they are languishing in sixth in the league and they won’t qualify for the Champions League next season. An unprecedented amount of injuries – particularly in defence – have derailed United’s season and Fernandes’ form has been inconsistent. Before his recent purple patch, Fernandes had only scored once in 17 league games and four times in the league.

However, as the graphic above illustrates, the Portuguese midfielder’s attacking output in all club competitions remains elite. Across Europe’s top five leagues, Fernandes ranks fourth for all midfielders – as classed by Transfermarkt – for goal contributions with 26 in 44 games. Fernandes has scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists for his teammates and he’s been directly involved in 33% of United’s league goals, which highlights his importance to Ten Hag’s side. Only Cole Palmer, Florian Wirtz and Jude Bellingham have provided more goal contributions and Palmer has played more minutes as part of Chelsea’s front three than in midfield this season. 

Fernandes’ best position is undoubtedly as an attacking midfielder/No 10 and it’s no surprise that he’s thrived when deployed in that role. Occasionally, Ten Hag has shifted him to the right – the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City is a notable example – and even dropped him deeper in midfield to accommodate Scott McTominay, who offers a goalscoring threat when crashing the box. Fernandes can be guilty of being incredibly wasteful in possession and turning the ball over but that’s mainly due to his desire to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates. As the graphic below shows, Fernandes (98) has created more chances for this teammates than any other player in the league this season with nine of those coming against Sheffield United. The profligacy of United’s front three remains a major problem as despite Fernandes’ creative brilliance, they’ve only scored 51 goals this season – one less than Brentford. 

Is Bruno Fernandes’ attacking excellence overlooked? 

When discussing Fernandes, it’s imperative to highlight his incredible durability since moving to United in 2020. In almost four and a half years, Fernandes has only missed one game through injury in March 2022 and he was technically absent through illness. While people can debate Fernandes’ performances, it’s impossible to argue against his attacking numbers since joining United – he’s been a revelation. 

Since he moved to England, only three players have registered more goal contributions than United’s number eight – as the graphic above illustrates. Additionally, Mo Salah, Heung-min Son and Harry Kane are all attackers while Fernandes is firmly a midfield player. The United captain has provided 93 goals and assists in 156 games, which is an excellent run for an attacker, nevermind a midfielder. With INEOS taking sporting control at Old Trafford there will be significant changes on the horizon, but Fernandes deserves to be central to the new era at United as he continues to perform while his teammates struggle.