Bruno Fernandes is the first name on the teamsheet at Manchester Unite so why is the fanbase still split? There is a feeling that he still has to win over a sizeable chunk of the Old Trafford faithful, with the decision to make him captain particularly inspected both internally and within mainstream media.
In the press and among experts, there is this idea that Fernandes’ personality is unfit to captain a club like Manchester United.
That idea has been built on their perception of a player that is magnified by replays and his questionable gamesmanship at times.
Don’t get me wrong, Fernandes’ attitude can be a problem at times but when is that not the case? United’s greatest captains have all made themselves guilty of acts far worse than whatever Fernandes has done. In comparison with his predecessors, he has conducted himself brilliantly and is a constant reminder of everything you want in a captain.
What’s the criteria for a captain at Manchester United? Is it availability? Is it accountability? Is it being the club’s talisman on the pitch for a prolonged period? Is it coming out to defend your own? Fernandes ticks all the boxes but still, there is a sense of a lack of appreciation.
Fernandes has only led the club out this season as the permanent captain so naturally, he is the least successful captain on paper. Still, when United lifted the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the Portuguese midfielder captained the side in Harry Maguire’s absence (a role he filled for the majority of that season), he made sure Maguire was there to lift the cup with him.
In his first two seasons, United relied on his goals and his assists. Since then, there is the perception that Fernandes’ quality has dropped and therefore, he is not putting up the numbers that made him one of Europe’s biggest stars.
But the change in managers, tactics and role within the side has not been considered in this equation. Today, Fernandes fills a completely different role to the one he occupied in 2020.
Today, he enables other players to steal the headlines. He’s the true engine of this United side and although this has been a torrid season for the Reds, he is still at the summit of the Premier League’s creative charts. As of the time of writing, Fernandes has created more chances than any other Premier League player.
Since he joined the club over four years ago, Fernandes has missed just one game through injury. His availability immediately makes him someone to build around. That, coupled with his unique talent and emotional intelligence when it pertains to football, must be acknowledged.
Fernandes is also at the top of the running charts most season yet every now and then you will see a popular pundit having a go at him for not tracking back as if it’s a regular occurrence. Where has that perception of Fernandes come from? Anyone who consistently watches Fernandes for United will know that he would be the last player on his legs if it came to it.
Last weekend, when United needed to rescue their season by advancing in the FA Cup, Fernandes was nursing a leg injury for the visit of Liverpool. Somehow, he ended the game in a two-man defence alongside Harry Maguire, acting as a quarter-back, paving the way for United’s young hopefuls to make the difference instead.
Just moments before Amad Diallo’s goal, Fernandes was the last defender and perfectly intercepted a pass that would have seen Darwin Nunez run clear on goal. It is a sequence that is yet to receive any traction on social media.
Minutes later, he shared a heartwarming release of emotions with Alejandro Garnacho as the rest of the team celebrated the winning goal.
Fernandes is not only in the team to be the difference maker in terms of goals and assists any longer, he’s there for several other reasons that fail to be properly brought to attention to the masses.
Instead, he is scapegoated when things go wrong but I guess that’s the price he has to pay. He won’t mind that much.
United’s younger players, particularly the players that have come through the academy, speak glowingly of Fernandes and that’s another testament to his seniority not just in terms of age.
Speaking recently, the 29-year-old commented on his future amid the uncertainty that comes with a change in the club’s ownership.
“I want to stay here, I want to be part of a project that has feet, legs, torso and head, everything we need to be able to compete with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, who are the clubs that have been in the best shape,” Fernandes said after explaining how the club and himself have failed to meet expectations in years gone.
United need Fernandes more than Fernandes needs United – that is the reality.
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