As Ruben Amorim takes charge at Manchester United, football writer Alex Keble looks at how the new head coach might try to incorporate his in-form captain within his favoured system.
Bruno Fernandes reaching a combined total of 100 Premier League goals and assists at the weekend was timed perfectly, and perhaps poignantly, because he and Ruben Amorim are not a natural fit.
Amorim arrived at Manchester United on Monday morning with an overflowing in-tray, and somewhere near the top is how to get the best out of his compatriot; how to continue Fernandes's rich vein of form sparked suddenly by the departure of Erik ten Hag.
The Man Utd captain, who is currently on international duty with Portugal, spoke about his new boss in an interview recorded last week and published today on ManUtd.com.
"What stands out is the connection he has with the players," said Fernandes.
"The way they [the Sporting players] said goodbye to him... shows this is a great character, someone that gives his all to the players.
"I've seen many, many moments where players were struggling and he kept his faith in them. He kept them on... to give them the best opportunity to shine."
Whether Fernandes will be given the chance to shine as he did under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy remains to be seen.
There isn’t an obvious role in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system for Fernandes, whose maverick, mercurial energy feels more suited to the individualism that has been allowed to flourish over the last five years than the regimented tactical planning of the new head coach.
And yet it would seem like madness to leave him out. Fernandes has reached 100 goal involvements - 56 goals and 44 assists - in 170 Premier League appearances, reaching the milestone in just one more match than Cristiano Ronaldo's 169.
Back to his best under Van Nistelrooy
We all know how good Fernandes is at his best. Those goal and assist numbers speak for themselves, as does the consistency of his chance creation no matter Man Utd’s form.
Since 2021/22, Fernandes has created considerably more chances than anyone else in the Premier League.
But his form had tailed off significantly in 2024/25. Prior to Ten Hag’s departure Fernandes had no goals, five assists and two red cards in 13 matches in all competitions. Two of those assists were against League One side Barnsley in the EFL Cup.
But Ruud van Nistlerooy’s four-match spell as interim head coach ignited a dramatic revival, with Fernandes managing four goals and two assists in that time.
Fernandes's stats in all competitions 2024/25
| Under Ten Hag | Under Van Nistelrooy | |
| Appearances | 13 | 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 0 | 4 |
| Assists | 5 | 2 |
In terms of chances created, it’s night and day.
Fernandes provided only 11 chances in his first seven Premier League matches this season but 11 in two matches under Van Nistelrooy, doubling his tally in games against Chelsea and Leicester City.
Poor finishing the only major difference to last season
Interestingly on almost any metric - through-balls, miscontrols, touches, progressive passes and so on - the difference between this season and recent years is negligible.
All that shows up in the stats is the Portuguese's finishing, which has become considerably worse.
Fernandes is taking 3.2 shots per 90 minutes, as many as in any other Premier League season, yet the number on target of 0.6 per match is at an all-time low.
Although historically he tends to score pretty close to his Expected Goals (xG) numbers, Fernandes is lagging 2.0 behind already in 2024/25, scoring two goals from an xG of 4.0, which includes a missed penalty.
Fernandes's goal threat 23/24 v 24/25
| Stat | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
| Shots/90 | 2.6 | 3.2 |
|---|---|---|
| Shots on target/90 | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| Goals minus xG | 0.0 | -2.0 |
Successful move to the left side
Perhaps perceptions of his form, then, would be different had Fernandes simply put away a couple more chances; playing in an underperforming team can make everyone look worse.
But there is no doubt Fernandes was sharper under Van Nistelrooy, and indeed his repositioning out to the left of centre, rather than to the right, suggests he was either used in a new role or given freedom to roam wherever he pleased.
Cutting in from the left, Fernandes was able to open up his body to shoot or pass more effectively, as shown in this graphic detailing his last two Premier League matches.
Amorim might not give Fernandes a free role
It’s unlikely Fernandes will be allowed to move about as freely under Amorim.
Amorim’s 3-4-3 tends to include two direct wingers playing as inside forwards to support the striker, making Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo more obvious fits.
However, the head coach may choose to adapt his formation slightly, using Fernandes as a No 10 who can weave left and right, as he did against Chelsea and Leicester, with one direct runner filling the gaps.
That would be quite the tactical shift, yet Amorim will know that it would be a huge risk to leave out his captain, who is by far the most creative player in the squad.
Hard pressing and line-breaking passes suit Amorim
In better news for the new head coach, Fernandes is at least a hugely effective presser of the ball.
This season Fernandes's 378 total pressures and 26 pressures in the final third leading to a turnover each rank fourth in the Premier League. He also has the second-most possessions won in the final third, with 37, reflecting his hard work from the front.
Amorim will appreciate that effort in leading a new high and hard press, which will be coached partly in order to create fast transitions in the final third.
With that in mind, Amorim will note that Fernandes tends to lead the way for through-balls in the Premier League.
Fernandes's through-balls per season
| Through-balls | PL rank | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 22 | 1st |
| 2022/23 | 35 | 1st |
| 2023/24 | 30 | 2nd |
| 2024/25 | 6 | =8th |
It will take some tactical tweaking but Man Utd's No 10, if used in his best position with runners around him, can work in Amorim’s system.
Certainly, as Amorim looks to ride a new-manager bounce he ought to pick Fernandes for the first couple of matches at least.
Amorim starts his tenure with matches at Ipswich Town and Everton in the Premier League, two encounters you would expect an in-form Fernandes to dominate.
Tougher fixtures then follow against Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, meaning Amorim will need Fernandes’s goals and assists in his opening two fixtures - even if the long-term plan is for two wingers behind a striker.
Man Utd's next five PL fixtures
But would Amorim really consider benching Fernandes just because there’s no natural place in his tried-and-tested formation?
Since his debut in February 2020 Fernandes has been involved in 155 goals in all competitions - 83 goals and 72 assists - the second-most of any Premier League player.
Those numbers cannot be ignored.
