Bruno Fernandes is showing impressive form and deserves to be mentioned in the Premier League Player of the Year race.
Two assists in Manchester United's victory over Aston Villa raised Fernandes' total assists for the club to 100, thereby surpassing David Beckham's record, and reaching 16 assists in the season.
Currently, the record of 20 assists in a Premier League season - held by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry - is being threatened.
There is no doubt that Fernandes is the most outstanding player in the Man United squad, the team is likely to finish in third place. However, that is probably still not enough to help him win a noble individual title. According to popular opinion, this award should belong to a player of the champion team.
Helping Man United get a high ranking is commendable, but when put on the scale with names like Gabriel Magalhaes or Declan Rice of Arsenal, Fernandes is still at a disadvantage.
In case Manchester City overcomes Arsenal to win the championship, Marc Guehi could completely become a bright candidate, thanks to his clear influence.
From another perspective, considering the personal factor in an unstable playing team, Dominik Szoboszlai is also a name worth mentioning, as he is a rare bright spot of Liverpool. However, the overall form of the team makes it difficult for him to be highly rated in this race.
That also raises the question of why Fernandes is perceived differently? This is a player who has been doubted many times about leadership qualities, but now has emerged as a top candidate for individual titles.
If Arsenal wins the championship, it is almost certain that the title will belong to one of their pillars - those who have a direct influence on the team's success.
The lesson in the past is also very clear. Scott Parker once won the Player of the Year award of the Journalists Association even though West Ham United was relegated, but that is a rare exception. Usually, this title still belongs to the player of the champion team.
In fact, even when Man United won the treble in 1999, the personal title still belonged to David Ginola, partly because the votes were scattered among many of their stars.
This season, Arsenal may face a similar disadvantage when possessing many bright candidates. In addition to Gabriel and Rice, Bukayo Saka is also often mentioned, although his performance this season has not reached the peak as expected.
Gabriel is a solid stopper in the defense, and also makes a positive contribution on the attacking front with 3 goals and 4 assists. Meanwhile, Rice also had an impressive season with 4 goals and 5 assists, along with a central role in Arsenal's play.
This is a close competition between two Arsenal players, and that may inadvertently open up opportunities for Fernandes - who is clearly a worthy candidate. However, the Man United factor - a club with a strong media attraction - also contributes to making him receive more attention.
Meanwhile, Man City is still out of chances. Although the season has not really reached the familiar standard under Pep Guardiola, the changes from January have brought positive signals. If they win the championship, Guehi can completely become a factor to make a difference.
Previously, Guehi led Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup and participate in European cups for the first time, before continuing to play an important role after joining Man City, helping to strengthen the defense and elevate the whole team.
Throughout the season, Guehi showed stability, bravery and clear influence - the core elements of the Player of the Year title.
In general, all the names mentioned above have opportunities, but the most important criterion should still be that the player must play a key role in the success of a winning team.
