In the 81st minute of the match against Twente, Bruno Fernandes regretfully collapsed after his shot missed the goal. This is a familiar move of the Portuguese midfielder and has been successful many times. The Man United captain often plays inconsistently in most matches but can shine with a surprising moment.
However, Bruno could not help his team win against Twente on the opening day of the Europa League. The 30-year-old star's ball sense is not good, he makes many inaccurate passes. In addition, the lack of breakthrough speed and dribbling skills made it difficult for Bruno to handle the ball in front of the opponent's defense. Throughout the match, the former Sporting player could not put the ball in favorable positions for his teammates to finish.
In more than 4 and a half years at Man United, Bruno has helped the "Red Devils" win many important victories. However, entering his 5th season at Old Trafford, the midfielder born in 1994 is showing signs of stagnation and needs more support.
Bruno's form has not been good since the beginning of the 2024-2025 season until the opening match of the Europa League group stage. In the draw with Twente alone, the Portuguese star lost the ball 19 times and only completed 75% of his passes (39/52).
The draw against Twente is a continuation of an worrying streak of form as Man United have not won in the European Cup since a 1-0 victory over Copenhagen last October. It was also their only win in their last nine matches in the Champions League and Europa League.
With the new format of the Europa League, this draw is not a disaster but it is still very disappointing. This is also the 4th consecutive season that Man United have not won their opening match in the European arena. The opponents of the Old Trafford team always know that, as long as they defend tightly and counter-attack quickly, they can completely find an opportunity against Ten Hag's team.
Ten Hag's side have gradually stabilized with less injuries than last season, but long-term problems still exist. Man United's midfield is a difficult problem to solve when the "Red Devils" cannot find the best combinations.
In addition, the deadlock of the attack also caused Man United to receive unfavorable results. New signing Joshua Zirkzee scored in his debut match but failed to score in the following matches. In addition, the "Red Devils" wingers often appear confused when facing deep-lying defensive teams.
We are very ambitious and when you have ambition, you have to show it. Especially in the second half, we were too complacent. Man United could not score the decisive goal and that is unacceptable" - Erik ten Hag shared after the draw against Twente.
This problem returns to Bruno Fernandes, who has helped Man United win many times but now seems to no longer have enough strength to do so. His adventurous playing style often caused the "Red Devils" to lose control of the match. However, the Portuguese midfielder's ability to create a surprise opportunity still makes Ten Hag hesitant to replace him early.
When Bruno signed a new contract in August, many predicted that Man United would gradually reduce their dependence on him as the team became more stable. However, this season is proving the opposite, the "Red Half" of Manchester is in need of explosive moments from the captain in every match.
No one blames Bruno for his slow start to the new season, when he has played more than 20,000 minutes for Man United. However, if the Portuguese star cannot achieve his previous form, the responsibility for finding a new solution will belong to Erik ten Hag. Alternatives such as Mount, Eriksen, or even Amad could take on the role of "number 10". Zirkzee could also be used in this position, with Hojlund up front.
How United get this season will depend on whether the tactical factors are in harmony. However, if low-level opponents like Twente or Crystal Palace can still cause disruption, the "Red Devils" will likely face another difficult season.
