A lot has changed around Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes since he took it upon himself to apologise directly to Erik ten Hag in the wake of his sacking and accept his share of the blame.
He has scored four goals, created two more and had a claim on another that was given as an own goal in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leicester at Old Trafford.
It is an excellent return for four games and in marked contrast to the zero goals and four assists – two of which came against League One Barnsley – in the 12 games Ten Hag was in charge for this campaign.
When Fernandes spoke of his regret at Ten Hag’s exit, he added that “people will say we wanted him to be sacked”.
Fernandes said such an assertion would be untrue. However, such is the transient nature of football, Fernandes’ return to form will now benefit someone else.
“He is back,” United interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy told BBC Sport. “He is producing goals and assists. That is the Bruno that is helping the team the most.”
On the day co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe presented Fernandes with a framed photograph before the game to mark his 250th United appearance, the 30-year-old’s latest efforts mean he has now scored 83 goals and has 72 assists for the club in all competitions.
Since Fernandes made his United debut in February 2020, only Liverpool’s Mo Salah – on 198 – has been involved in more goals.
Fernandes has been directly involved in 100 Premier League goals in 170 United appearances in the competition. That is only one more than Cristiano Ronaldo managed following his arrival at Old Trafford.
He is not without his critics but a week ago, on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2, Fernandes’ former team-mate Phil Jones called the Portuguese “a leader’”. On the same programme, former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy called Fernandes “United’s best creative spark”.
And that could turn out to be the key issue facing new head coach Ruben Amorim when he checks in at Carrington this week to start his new job.
Amorim’s preferred formation is three at the back, two wing backs, two midfield players, two inside forwards and a striker.
It is flexible in the sense the wing backs can be more adventurous, or less, as was the case against Manchester City last week when Maximiliano Araujo and Geovany Quenda effectively became part of a back five.
Having won two titles in four years with his chosen formation and got the United job because of it, it seems unlikely Amorim will alter it.
So where does Fernandes fit in?
Fernandes’ position will be debated because in Amorim’s system, the number 10 role he has operated in for United doesn’t exist and the midfielder’s style of play is not that of an inside forward.
So, does Amorim tweak his formation, use Fernandes as a false nine or an orthodox midfield player or does he play him as an inside forward with licence to roam.
The nuclear option would be to leave him out, possibly sending a clear message to the dressing room that no-one is safe. But it would be exceptionally brave, or foolhardy, judging on the statistics alone.
Against Leicester they were:
-
Most passes in the final third (33), the next highest was 17
-
He created more chances than any other Manchester United player – seven, with no-one else managing more than one
-
More crosses than any other player
-
Only Martinez had more touches of the ball
Fernandes might frustrate sometimes with his indiscipline in terms of maintaining a position, but if Amorim did not pick him, where would United’s goals and chances come from?
Finding an answer this conundrum is something Amorim needs to resolve as a priority.
Amorim’s staggered start
A combination of the number of players leaving for international duty this week, and some of those not called up being given time off, means that it will be largely those who are injured that Amorim first gets to see when he reports for duty at United’s Carrington training complex.
It means the fact United need a couple of days to secure his work visa is not too much of an inconvenience.
It also allows the club to tie up all the loose ends around Amorim’s coaching team, with interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy stating after the Leicester game he expects to hear either on Sunday or Monday whether he and the remainder of Ten Hag’s team who stayed on following the Dutchman’s dismissal last month are to stay.
When he gets round to assessing this latest performance, aside from Fernandes’ efforts, Amorim will see a largely solid defensive display, which secured a first Premier League clean sheet for over a month, a decent first-half from Amad Diallo, and a goalscoring second-half from Alejandro Garnacho, even if the Argentine was too fed up at being criticised for his recent displays to celebrate.
Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro were decent in central midfield without being spectacular against a Leicester side their manager Steve Cooper admitted had not been good enough in both boxes.
And United won. Depending on how you choose to assess the Premier League table, Amorim arrives with United either 13th, way below expectations, or only four points off a Champions League place, for which fifth might be good enough.
BBC Sport asked Van Nistelrooy after the match whether the current United squad could excel in Amorim’s new style.
His answer didn’t entirely fill anyone with confidence.
“That is a very good question,” he said. “When I started at the beginning of this four game period I decided to continue by 85% playing what the players are used and just put in little tweaks by changing players or resting players to try get the confidence back. We were looking for results and we got four.
“But the wing backs and inside forwards, it is a lot to analyse. I can’t comment on that.”
Presumably if Van Nistelrooy were entirely confident about the flexibility of players he has been working with since the start of the season, a straightforward ‘yes’ would have come into his head.
And the secondary – but very important – point is the chance for Amorim to do any meaningful work on the training ground will be virtually non-existent.
If United progress in the EFL Cup, he might have one spare midweek in his first three months in charge. Amorim is acutely aware of this which is why he is playing down the expectations that rose so dramatically in the wake of Sporting’s defeat of Manchester City last week.
Amorim will need to find a trio of defenders that fit his back three brief, knowing his quickest option, Leny Yoro, is among those coming back from injury. Presumably Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui will fill the wing back slots, with Ugarte, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen the midfield berths, at least until Kobbie Mainoo is available again.
But Fernandes is the crucial element.
Portugal’s second Nations League game doesn’t take place until Monday, 18 November, even further limiting the new head coach’s time with the Fernandes before the Premier League trip to Ipswich on 24 November.
Van Nistelrooy has stabilised the situation at Old Trafford. But if United are to move on under Amorim, he needs to find the best way of getting the most out of Fernandes as the captain moves back into form.