Bruno Fernandes once again shined in Manchester United's victory over Tottenham. The captain of the "Red Devils" scored the second goal and launched 6 shots from outside the penalty area, but his biggest mark still lies in his creativity.
The Portuguese international should have had another assist in the situation at the end of the match, if Benjamin Sesko had not missed a header in a completely unmarked position.
Statistics show Fernandes created 6 chances - more than any other player in the Premier League in the whole round. This is also the third time this season he has created at least 6 chances in a match, and only Rayan Cherki is the only other person to have done that two or more times.
Notably, 2 out of 3 matches Fernandes "pumped the ball" so much under interim coach Michael Carrick. This is not surprising, because Fernandes has been returned to his preferred role when playing in the most dangerous area, controlling the tempo and providing opportunities for the attack.
Even during Ruben Amorim's time, Fernandes still maintained impressive performance. He has created 74 chances this season - no other player in the Premier League has reached the 50 mark - while increasing the total number of direct goals scored by Man United in all competitions to 200.
Fernandes is still a controversial name, often criticized by rival fans. Even a part of Man United fans also believe that he is part of the problem because the time he spent coincided with the team's decline.
But those debates should be closed. Fernandes is not the cause of the crisis, but a victim of it. And if he helps Man United win a Champions League ticket, being mentioned in the Player of the Year race is completely deserved.
The victory against Tottenham shows that M.U is more stable in structure. The squad maintained distance, organized pressing and controlled the game well when the opponent was only 10 people. The opening goal helped the "Red Devils" relieve pressure, while the second goal closed the match neatly.
But if viewed from Fernandes's perspective, this match still has many unfinished tasks. Man United created many clear chances, but some situations should have been handled more decisively. Hesitation and lack of cool finishing caused the excitement to be interrupted and the result should have been decided sooner.
That is also why Fernandes constantly demands more from his teammates. For a team that wants to compete for a Champions League spot, wasting opportunities is a luxury that cannot last long.
Michael Carrick came with the right ideas, gave responsibility to the players and is very good at conveying it. I once told him that I believe Carrick will become a good coach, and now he is proving it" - Fernandes said after the victory over Tottenham.
