It’s been evident this season that Manchester United can be a unified force when all the cogs are in the right place - but that they also have a tendency to crumble when certain players are missing.
The Reds greatly felt the recent absence of top scorer Marcus Rashford, and did even more so when Casemiro was suspended. But perhaps United arguably look most bent out of shape when Bruno Fernandes is not present.
The fear surrounding his potential unavailability against Tottenham when pictured in a boot brace told the story. The Portugal star ultimately kept up his phenomenal feat of not missing a United game through injury when he made the line-up in London.
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The de facto captain - who has ten goals and 14 assists so far this term - has started every game he’s been available for this season bar one; the League Cup quarter-final against Charlton. There’s no doubting how important Erik ten Hag feels he is to his set-up.
This was first depicted back in November when United fell to a 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa on Unai Emery’s debut. Fernandes was banned for the trip due to a yellow card suspension and if there is a criticism of the playmaker, it would be to tighten up his discipline in that regard.
He has missed six games for club and country in the last four seasons due to yellow card bans, including two this season, which is unnecessary for an attacking midfielder. But at Villa Park five months ago it was clear United were devoid of ideas going forward.
Maybe the selection of Donny van de Beek and Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t help the cause but it was a stark reminder of how much Fernandes brings to the attack. United are now in a different place and generally in better shape but, as evidenced against Sevilla, not sufficiently so.
The Reds lost 3-0 in the crucible that was Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium, largely down to defensive lapses. But just three of United’s 16 shots were on target that night as the visitors struggled to find a clear opening with Fernandes suspended again.
Fernandes is the main creative spark and his manager waxed lyrical about this earlier this year. Speaking in February, Ten Hag said: “[Fernandes] has had a really important role in why we’re in the position where we are.
“He’s giving energy to the team, not only running a lot at the highest intensity, but the right way and right direction.” And when dropped back into deeper midfield in the 1-0 win at Real Betis a month later he explained: “We can play him there [midfield] where we can benefit from him to overload areas.
“Where he can outplay opponents, so we get in good situations and so we will create chances. He is also very important in the counter-press and in the pressing; so his transition is a really fantastic skill for him.”
Against Villa in November, United had both Christian Eriksen and Casemiro on the pitch yet were still lacklustre in the final third. Fernandes is back to face Villa this time around, a team that are on a 10-game unbeaten run with a win taking them within four points of United albeit having played two games more.
However, United can put a statement out by ending that streak in their quest for a top four finish and get one back on Emery for his opening win.
In the process, Fernandes can prove Ten Hag’s theory about him right in the clearest fashion by showing his credentials against a defence that has conceded just once in their last four matches.
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