Up to now, Bruno Fernandes is no longer the "number 10". He plays lower, has fewer goals and assists and was once the weakest link in the squad. However, three consecutive Premier League wins have recently shown Ruben Amorim's adjustments to make it easier for Bruno Fernandes to play in central midfield.
Why did Amorim change the role of Bruno?
problems in deploying the ball and controlling the midfield have existed since Erik ten Hag's time - especially the lack of balance between keeping the rhythm and creating depth. Amorim's 3-4-3 formation requires the two midfielders to know how to defend, pass the ball in tight spaces and develop the ball quickly.
Bruno Fernandes, with vision, physical strength and the ability to connect 3 lines, is the perfect Man United player for this task. Since November 2024, he has been pushed down to play as a midfielder pair, away from the familiar creative zone. In the context of Man United not buying any midfielders in the summer of 2025, the Portuguese star continues to have to shoulder this unsuccessful task.
Controversy over Bruno's position continues to exist. The Man United striker is the most effective attacking player in the team since joining in 2020, carrying the team in both pressing and creativity. However, when the system needed to stabilize, he was chosen to sacrifice his position.
Amorim's changes make Bruno easier to play
In the first 9 Premier League matches this season, Bruno has had 2 goals and 1 assist, only making his mark on 0.34 goals/match, the lowest since joining Man United. In addition, the 31-year-old midfielder has also had fewer shots and passes into the box.
In particular, in the first matches, it is easy to see that Bruno's position was exploited a lot when he was still not used to proactive defense. It was not until the last 3 matches, with Cunha, Mbeumo and Mount adjusted down when not having the ball, that Bruno reduced his defensive pressure and his playing mentality was more comfortable.
Looking at the statistics, Bruno is having the most comprehensive season of his career controlling the game with the highest pass accuracy rate (77.6%), having few touches in the last third of the field but most from midfield. In addition, he has topped the Premier League this season for creating chances (24), leading the M.U in shots leading (6.2 per game) and the best career xG involvement (a player's contribution to the attack and goalscoring chances of the home team (0.48).
Bruno now not only creates breakthroughs, he also has the task of leading the tempo. More than 70 proceeding passes (twice as many behind Luke Shaw) have proven that every Reds attack has to pass him.
Not only passing the ball, Bruno is fighting
The central midfield role requires Bruno to press discipline, support the interception and win the second ball. Currently, the M.U captain has become the player who touches, carries and reclaims the ball in the most central area of the team.
In the match against Brighton, Bruno Fernandes was present all over the pitch. He argued, ran continuously, and even retreated into the penalty area to fill the gaps. This was the weakness that caused Man United to concede a goal against Man City.
In the match against Liverpool, the 31-year-old midfielder seized the opportunity from the ball and passed it to Amad before the player assisted Bryan Mbeumo. This is a clear example of new pace and alertness. No longer seeing a player attack as the only striker, Bruno has now played as the backbone of the team.
Bruno's progress is still due to Amorim asking Cunha and Mbeumo to support the midfield more. In addition, Lammens' consecutive long serves prevented the M.U midfield from moving to receive the ball and transfer it to the top. Their main task after the passes is to receive the second ball in the best way.
Difficulties still ahead
M.U is sometimes exploited for the gap between midfield and defense. Like the match against Fulham or Man City, Bruno Fernandes still had situations where he forgot his position. In addition, the "Red Devils" captain often passes hastily, creating disconnection and a rhythmless attack. However, Cunha, Mbeumo and Mount's drop shots without the ball have somewhat limited Bruno's positioning.
Bruno spoke more about the goal of doing something big for Man United than just caring about individual indicators. He ran the most in the team but ran to regulate, no longer running to save the system. The clear milestone was probably the 4-2 win over Brighton when M.U scored 4 goals for the first time but Bruno has not scored or assisted since January 2020.
