Within months of his arrival in Manchester Bruno Fernandes was hailed as something of a saviour.
His £67m fee looked good business as Manchester United lured him from Sporting Lisbon, where he had scored 33 times in his last full season in the Portuguese capital. A debut cameo against Wolves was followed by his first goal against Watford.
United looked set to meander towards a Europa League finish before his arrival, then all of a sudden they found form and, even with a lockdown disruption, went unbeaten in 14 matches with Fernandes central to their efforts as they finished third. He scored 12 times in 22 games and continued to drive Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side to a second place finish the following season.
However, Fernandes now looks a shadow of the player he was for the first two-and-a-half years of his Manchester career. His demands that were once hailed as driving standards are now criticised as moans. Performance levels have dipped, so much so that his place in the team is being debated by some.
A new deal, which now sees him earn around £240,000-a-week, could not have come at a worse time. United and he are desperately out of form and the club's hierarchy has seemingly protected their asset based on reputation alone. Erik ten Hag's arrival is imminent and there are no guarantees the 27-year-old fits into his plans, especially with Donny van de Beek set to be handed a second chance.
This last week has been a microcosm of Fernandes' season. Ineffective in a poor display as they were cut apart by Liverpool at Anfield. Then, on Saturday, he missed the chance to level from the spot at Arsenal, hitting the post when the score was 2-1 before the Gunners went on to secure victory.
Sharing the limelight
Cristiano Ronaldo, so often the man to take spot kicks, relinquished such duties in the reverse at the Emirates. His arrival has coincided with Fernandes' decline. Some players revel in being the team's main man and it seemed as if Fernandes did exactly that. Now, with iconic No 7 back at Old Trafford, that talismanic status is no longer bestowed on Fernandes.
The pair haven't been able to strike up a lethal combination despite playing alongside each other for club and country. They have played in the same team 33 times for United but only combined for three goals, with Ronaldo providing no assists for his compatriot.
Once upon a time, United would look to Fernandes when things were going against them, but that isn't necessarily the case anymore. United also added Jadon Sancho in the summer and the winger has begun to come good in Manchester following a slow start to life.
He is another player United can turn to and it seems, as the club's squad has grown, Fernandes has shrunk. Rarely in recent months has Fernandes grabbed games by the scruff of the neck as he did early in his United career and his frustrations have been called out by the likes of Gary Neville.
Solskjaer's golden boy
The Norwegian was axed in November last year, but had it not been for Fernandes' arrival he may have been shown the door long before. Solskjaer made the Portuguese star central to his plans with the playmaker seemingly undroppable irrespective of the demands placed upon him.
Rotating Fernandes didn't seem part of the plan and even when he endured bad days he retained the faith of his manager. Solskjaer defended his use of the player previously, stating last season: “He's not tired, no. No chance. He's one of the players who runs and covers the ground in every single game. He's very good at recovery, very good at recharging his batteries."
Now, with Ralf Rangnick in charge, Fernandes is no longer on the pedestal he once seemed to sit upon. The German has been prepared to leave out the 27-year-old on occasions this term and, without the knowledge that he'll be a guaranteed starter, Fernandes does not seem to be relishing the challenge of fighting for his place.
System question marks
The No 10 role is becoming increasingly redundant having once been crucial for a team to excel in the attacking third. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Martin Odegaard and James Maddison at other Premier League clubs are having to drop in and do their bit for the team, especially out of possession.
Will Bruno Fernandes be a starter under Erik ten Hag? Let us know in the comments
Fernandes was given a free pass previously, which freed him up to stay fresh for periods when United were in the ascendancy. Now, under a manager who was renowned for a pressing system, his flaws are being exposed. The Red Devils are not known for their work rate without the ball and Fernandes is as big a culprit as any.
That has no doubt impacted his selection in the past and could do going forward as well. Ten Hag will arrive and history suggests he will place plenty of demands on his players. A managerial change often leads to winners and losers, Fernandes has seemingly lost out post-Solskjaer and there is no guarantee he returns under the incoming regime.
