Fantastic Fernandes boosts United

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This article was published 07/03/2020 (2353 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

How much can a single player improve an entire team?

Just ask Manchester United fans, who would point out that the Red Devils are unbeaten in seven matches across three competitions since Bruno Fernandes arrived from Sporting Clube de Portugal.

Or put the question to United legend Ryan Giggs, who has called the 25-year-old a “fantastic player” who has “lifted the entire place” and “everyone around him.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is also gushing. In his Friday press conference, the United manager revealed he had personally scouted Fernandes and was quickly impressed by the midfielder’s competitiveness. “I thought, yep, that’s the character we need,” he said. “Bruno coming in has boosted the players; but for the supporters as well, they can see that we are putting pieces in place.”

The chants of “Bruno! Bruno!” that have followed United up and down the land quite clearly, and loudly, bear him out. But, even more importantly, so do the stats. It’s one thing to be a popular player. But popular and effective? That’s a combination the club’s supporters haven’t enjoyed since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Obviously, there is the unbeaten streak. Fernandes has yet to lose in a United shirt. And while the eye test acknowledges the Portugal international’s intelligent runs, accurate distribution and rare ability to make everyone around him better, some key numbers explain just how it’s happening.

Side-stepping the familiar passing and possession rates, in the six matches Fernandes has started since arriving at Old Trafford in January, his side have taken an average of 18.8 shots per game. By comparison, in a sample of the club’s 10 matches in October and November, the average was 11.9. A jump of nearly seven shots, representing a skyrocket of 58 per cent, is startling, as is the space from which those shots are coming.

In October and November, United were using only 20 per cent of their possession in the middle of the attacking third. They had much of the ball in wide areas, which meant that they spent most of their time spreading it around the perimeter, in front of the defence. With Fernandes, their time in that key, central space has improved by 23 per cent to 24.5. In other words, those seven new shots are being released from far more dangerous locations on the pitch.

As if those data weren’t enough, the common metrics of passing and possession are also trending upwards. United have progressed from a passing rate of 81.1 per cent in October and November to 83.7 with Fernandes. Predictably, their possession percentage has also gone up: from 53.5 to 57.7.

If United have been looking faster and posing more of a goal threat of late, it’s because they are.

“When I saw (United’s) last games, they’re incredibly aggressive,” acknowledged Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in his Friday presser ahead of Sunday’s Manchester Derby (11:30 a.m., DAZN). “In some games they defend, but what I saw in the last games is a team that is aggressive.”

Who better to scrutinize an opponent than Guardiola? City may be 15 points ahead of United at kickoff, but the form book points to a match that will be far more competitive than the gap in the table suggests. And that’s down to Bruno Fernandes, the single player who has single-handedly made Manchester United a far more formidable proposition.

Spot-kicks

• Owing to concerns regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, there will be no pre-match handshakes in English matches until further notice. Sasha Ryazantsev, chief financial officer at Everton, has also opined that matches played behind closed doors is “likely” in the Premier League at some point.

• Ryazantsev rightly observed that COVID-19 presents a situation that “goes far beyond the world of sport.” More pointedly, earlier this week Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp fired back at a question asking his opinion of the outbreak, saying people such as football managers, people with “no knowledge,” should not be offering their comments. “People with knowledge (of COVID-19) will talk about it and tell people to do this, do that, and everything will be fine, or not.” Barcelona boss Quique Setien echoed Klopp’s remarks when posed with a similar query, replying that “there are much more competent people out there who can talk about this issue.” For what it’s worth, the knucklehead in the White House isn’t one of them.

• Inter Milan president Steve Zhang has criticized Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino for what he felt was a sloppily improved response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, fuming on Instagram that Dal Pino was “playing around the calendar and always putting the public health as a secondary situation.” He added: “How about we don’t protect our players or coaches and ask them to play for you non-stop? Yes, I’m speaking at you, our Lega President Paolo Dal Pino! Shame on you.” Serie A has since closed all stadiums to fans until at least April 3.

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