There is a strong argument to be made that, on paper, Bruno Fernandes is clearly the most talented player in Manchester United’s squad.  

The United captain and experienced Portuguese international is technically sublime, can score in a manner of ways, takes set-pieces and possesses plenty of leadership qualities. 

But there is also the lack of tactical discipline which gets brought up in conversations around Fernandes and now, struggling for form and heading towards his worst scoring season in a United shirt, any deficiencies in his game are being magnified tenfold. 

That’s the criticism levelled against Fernandes. In a bid to be Captain Fantastic he can become more of a hindrance than a help for United. 

Bruno Fernandes is struggling for form with his last Premier League goal coming in November

Likes of Alejandro Garnacho (second from right) have stepped up but United need Fernandes

Now, with Rasmus Hojlund facing up to three weeks out, United are going to need Fernandes to emerge from his malaise – he hasn’t scored in the league since November – and help keep their top four bid on track. 

‘Bruno Fernandes is obviously the best player in terms of talent but he’s everywhere,’ Gary Neville said on the Overlap last month.

‘He must be told to go and do what you want. I don’t see Ten Hag say to him, “get back in”. With Pep Guardiola, if a [Man City] player plays out of position for a minute or two minutes [Guardiola and his coaches are] on the sideline saying, “get back into your position”. 

‘Ten Hag is giving him the freedom to go there, there, there. 

‘And that means you can never have a combination or a pattern because you’ve got your main midfield player everywhere on the pitch.’

Neville isn’t wrong in his assessment. 

Fernandes does have a level of freedom that isn’t afforded to No 10s at rival teams. 

And that freedom, while it allows Fernandes to float out to the left, his more favoured side, or the right, it often opens a gaping hole that leaves Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro behind him with too much to do. That was a particularly glaring issue away at Luton. 

‘For the great players, it’s in their head, understanding where they need to be,’ Carragher added.

‘[Kevin] De Bruyne is better than Fernandes but in terms of creating chances, Fernandes isn’t a million miles from him.

‘I’ve seen [Fernades do this] under [former United boss Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer. It’s not being lazy, he’s running everywhere without the ball.’

The Portuguese’s passing has come under greater scrutiny after wastefulness down at Luton

His tactical discipline has also been queried as he likes to drift often out towards the left side

Of Premier League midfielders with at least five assists, only three pass with less accuracy

One of the biggest frustrations in recent months with Fernandes has been his passing accuracy, with critics accusing him of forcing balls to attackers when they simply aren’t on.

At Luton it was his carelessness in possession that angered some of the travelling support. 

And of midfielders to have provided five or more assists this season, only Wolves’ Pablo Sarabia, West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta and Luton’s Alfie Doughty have a lower passing accuracy than Fernandes this season. 

Phil Foden (Man City), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal) and James Maddison (Tottenham) are all significantly outperforming him in terms of looking after the ball.

‘I know since I arrived at the club my numbers made myself a target,’ Fernandes said in November. 

‘So not keeping the same numbers on goals and assists is sometimes a problem for me in the criticism because they are going to take from there.’ 

Fernandes, on paper, is United’s most talented player, but he is in a difficult period right now

His five Premier League assists are down on rivals at Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham

When Fernandes arrived from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020 his numbers made him a revelation.

Inside his first 14 league games he produced eight goals and seven assists. Now he’s struggling and without a goal in 13 matches.

With Hojlund sidelined against Fulham, Manchester City, Everton and potentially Sheffield United, there is now a greater onus on Fernandes to contribute in the goals column.

His goal away to Fulham on November 4 was his last goal contribution in the Premier League, making it 13 games and counting without one as the Cottagers come to Old Trafford today.  

Scott McTominay has stepped up and been a goal threat, with his four goals in Fernandes’ drought including the crucial winner away to Aston Villa.

Alejandro Garnacho has also stepped up and been counted with five goals and three assists, but more is going to be needed from Fernandes both in attack and defence for United to navigate the next month. 

‘If you watch him [Bruno Fernandes] at international level, he does the same [with floating around]. It can’t all be the coaches and managers,’ Roy Keane recently told the Stick to Football podcast.

‘There is a player out there and if he’s doing all that stuff and producing magic, you almost forgive him but if you’re in a struggling team and you’re doing all that stuff, that’s where it stands out and you go “you’re killing us, you’re costing us”.’

He does have the second-highest Expected Assists total so the chances are being created

One thing that can be used in Fernandes’ defence is that his numbers could look a lot different had United not started the season with such an anaemic attack.

The whole front line was struggling to muster a goal or an assist for months and it was all while Fernandes created a series of ‘Big Chances’.

In the Premier League this season no midfielder has created more ‘Big Chances’ than the Portuguese playmaker’s 12. Odegaard also has 12 for Arsenal.

As for Expected Assists, Fernandes ranks second, only behind Odegaard, who has been the shining example in the No 10 position this season.

But now that United’s attack have found their shooting boots, United’s upturn has been in spite of Fernandes looking out of sorts in the league. 

‘First, he is our captain and I think he often gives the right example, by his attitude in training and in games,’ Ten Hag said in defence of his captain earlier this month.

‘He always brings the energy for the team and, yeah, he’s very important for us, by creating chances. So it’s a pleasure to work with him. I hope he will play many more years for Manchester United.’

With Rasmus Hojlund sidelined, there is a greater onus on Fernandes to contribute to goals

No midfielder in the Premier League has created more Big Chances this season than him

One of the best things Fernandes could do for United between now and the end of the season is help bring more control to their play. 

Too often there has been a franticness to his and the team’s play, and much of it is centred on a ragged midfield. That was certainly the case away to Wolves and to Luton. 

Missing Hojlund is a major blow for the balance of the team but with Mainoo in form Fernandes needs to try to worry less about his own stats and use his influence by being the midfield metronome that can help see United navigate this striker-less storm. 

Having just 41 per cent of the ball at Luton is not a blueprint for success, even with United eventually squeaking through it with a 2-1 win. 

An alternative is to push Fernandes wide to the right, the position where from he scored a stunning volley in the 1-0 win at Burnley earlier in the campaign.

That would allow Scott McTominay to come in and start and add another midfielder to the mix, one that has shown a greater natural ability on the defensive side.  

One of the biggest strengths he could bring to United now is to install control across midfield

Here is a look at Fernandes’ touch map in the Premier League during the 2023-24 campaign

‘We have to control our games,’ he said after the 3-3 draw at Galatasaray. 

‘You have to be smart enough and manage the game better. Everyone has to step up and take responsibility for their own mistakes.’

So he knows that it is a problem that has become a pattern rather than an anomaly and Fernandes is one of the players most responsible for bringing about change. 

Shooting in the final stages at Luton gave new life to the Captain Fantastic criticism and the greatest thing he could do now is, rather than put the entire team on his back, bring about a calm and help those around him flourish. 

Do that and he’ll have his lick back.