Manchester United aren’t having the best of times at the moment.
Indeed, Ruben Amorim’s side sit 14th in the Premier League table, and there’s a serious level of turmoil at the club right now.
Position | Team | Played MP |
Won W |
Drawn D |
Lost L |
For GF |
Against GA |
Diff GD |
Points Pts |
14 | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 34 | 40 | -6 | 34 |
However, there has at least been one bright spark this season – Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes has been praised this season for his performances and along with Amad Diallo, he’s perhaps the only United player to have come out with any sort of credit this season.
However, despite Fernandes’ brilliance, his role in this Manchester United team has been unclear.
Indeed, there isn’t necessarily a natural role for Fernandes to play in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, and he’s almost just plugged in wherever he’s been needed.
Speaking to Optus Sport, Peter Schmeichel has been discussing Fernandes’ role at Manchester United, and he shared how he thinks the midfielder should be used.
Peter Schmeichel says how Bruno Fernandes should be used
Schmeichel discussed Fernandes’ situation at United.
The pundit says that Fernandes has been used unfairly this season, claiming that he’s almost been a utility player at times.
Schmeichel believes that the team should be built around Fernandes rather than just plugging into a system that doesn’t necessarily suit him.
“He’s been unfairly, I think, he’s been used as a utility player, he plays every game, but he’s a makeshift player to keep the team balanced. When you have a player like that you should probably build it around him. He’s playing in a team that’s not on his level,” Schmeichel said.
“What is Bruno’s best position, we don’t know that, in this new system, where does he fit in? Where did he fit in the old system? That is the big difference.”
How does Bruno Fernandes fit into Ruben Amorim’s system?
Schmeichel questions how Fernandes fits into Ruben Amorim’s system, and the answer isn’t particularly clear at the moment.
Amorim’s system does seem to suit a particular style of player, and Fernandes, at the same time, ticks a number of boxes while not ticking very many at all.
He’s technically brilliant and incredibly creative, which, in theory makes him a great fit for one of the two wide number 10 roles, but he’s not as quick as you need to be to play in that advanced wide position.
So far, Fernandes has been playing in the midfield, but Amorim does like midfielders who are a bit more physical as the likes of Joao Palhinha, Morten Hjulmand and Manuel Ugarte being his preferred options during his time at Sporting.
Fernandes has played a number of different positions this season already.
Bruno Fernandes positions | Games | Goals | Assists |
---|---|---|---|
Attacking midfield | 25 | 8 | 9 |
Central midfield | 11 | 2 | 2 |
Centre-forward | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Defensive midfield | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Amorim’s team is a strange combination of players who don’t suit his ideas at the moment, and, sadly, as good as Fernandes is, he also doesn’t quite suit his manager’s preferred style and shape.
Amorim’s usage of certain players has been questioned in recent times, and even though Fernandes has been one of United’s best players recently, his role is still being questioned.