3 ways how Bruno Fernandes can improve Manchester United this season

The arrival of Bruno Fernandes has certainly lifted the mood at Manchester United right now. The Red Devils have required a midfielder for quite some time now, and that need has been intensified by injuries to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay this season. And if his debut at Old Trafford against Wolverhampton Wanderers was any indication, Fernandes could well turn out to be a pivotal figure for Solskjaer in the coming months.

The Portuguese had an impressive first game in the colors of United, and hardly showed any signs of nerves on the pitch. He started off in the No. 10 position but was allotted a lot of freedom to play his natural game. The Portuguese ended the game as a part of a double pivot in the midfield but looked equally at ease in an unconventional role.

However, the biggest observation from the game was that Manchester United already looked a better side with Fernandes pulling the strings from the midfield. It is now up to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to ensure that the team complements the midfielder and enables him to assert his influence on each game. It is already clear that the Portuguese will have a huge role to play for the Norwegian from now until the end of the season, and here are 3 ways how Fernandes will improve United.

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#3 Work ethic

Bruno Fernandes put in a stellar shift against Wolves

A normal creative midfielder can be forgiven for being slack when his team loses the ball, given that his primary responsibility is hurting the opposition with the ball at his feet. While the player will be expected to contribute as a team, there will be others in the side who will be handed the responsibility to shoulder the bulk of the defensive responsibilities. However, the one striking characteristic of Fernandes that makes him different from your normal creative midfielders is his desire to win back the ball and work in a defensive shape.

While his defensive discipline might not be something to write about – he picked up a yellow in his debut for a technical foul – the Portuguese remains fully committed to winning back possession for his team. Fernandes is one of the first players to react when his team loses the ball and he uses his creative instincts to anticipate the opposition’s next move. He is full of energy and running, as was evident in the game against Wolves, where he covered an incredible 11.3 kilometers!

People in the stands at Old Trafford on the first weekend of February could be forgiven for assuming that Fernandes had been playing in the United team for a couple of seasons, such was his work ethics on the pitch. The Portuguese was heavily involved in the game, managing 110 touches on the ball, the second-highest in the game after Aaron Wan-Bissaka and even registered the highest tackles among the United midfielders. He also made the most clearances in the United team and it was a glimpse of the qualities Fernandes will bring to the team. His exemplary work ethics will certainly inspire a hunger for battle in Manchester United.

#2 Shooting from distance

Fernandes likes to shoot from distance

The Red Devils have lacked a midfielder with both the habit and the ability to shoot from distance in recent years, even though Paul Pogba has done it on the odd occasions, and Nemanja Matic has managed it once in a blue moon. We have to go all the way back to the Paul Scholes era to find a player who had opponents trembling whenever the ball fell to his feet outside the box.

Everyone knew that the Ginger Prince would unleash a fierce shot and most often than not, it would be on target. That was one of the threats of the United teams of the bygone era. The Red Devils have long needed someone whose eyes lit up whenever he has space and time on the ball at the edge of the box. Incidentally, that is exactly what Fernandes will bring to the team.

The Portuguese managed 5 shots in his debut for United, 3 of which were on target. Fernandes loves shooting from distance – he registered 180 shots in the Portuguese league in the last couple of seasons and 114 of them were from outside the box! To assume that the Portuguese would immediately fill in the shoes of the legendary Scholes after taking over his shirt would be premature, but in his presence, United do have a new kind of threat in the team.

One of the big gaps in Manchester United in the last couple of years has been a consistent goalscoring midfielder, who has the ability to make late runs into the box. Pogba managed it last season but has been crippled with injuries this time. In the Frenchman’s absence, the United attack has often fallen short when presented with an opportunity to from outside the box. Fernandes’ arrival should put an end to that.

#1 Breaking down deep-lying defenses

Fernandes is a risk-taker in the final third

In Solskjaer’s own words, Fernandes is a player who can “see passes and play passes”. The midfielder has been phenomenal in the Portuguese league in the last couple of seasons and has created the most chances from short passes. Solskjaer has advised Fernandes to be his usual self in the Premier League, clearly indicating that United will need his creativity to address their biggest weakness this season.

The Red Devils have been impressive against teams who attack them but have failed miserably against sides who sit deep at the back. This is where Fernandes will be crucial for United. The Portuguese managed 10 passes into the box against Wolves, which was the highest among the United players in the game and also a huge upgrade from United’s previous crop of players. Juan Mata has managed the most average passes into the box per game this season in the United team – 6.2, while Pogba has managed just 4.0 passes into the box on an average.

Fernandes loves taking risks, an attribute that has been missing among United midfielders this season. However, United do need to be a lot more fluid and proactive in the final third for the player to have the desired effect on the pitch.

Fernandes will certainly improve United’s build-up play and make them a lot more dangerous on the pitch. He has a wide array of passes in his repertoire and has displayed stellar decision-making ability in the final third. That has enabled the Portuguese to become one of the most creative players in Europe in the last couple of seasons. It is an attribute that could power United ahead in the second half of the season.