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Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has sent a message to his critics who have slammed him for his poor form against the top six clubs in the Premier League. Fernandes has been accused of failing to turn up against top opposition since joining Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon.
Fernandes has become Manchester United's talisman since joining the club in January 2020. The Portuguese international has contributed 34 goals and 21 assists in just 62 appearances in all competitions since joining the club.
The 26-year-old led the Red Devils to a third-place finish last season, helping them attain automatic qualification to the Champions League.
Fernandes has continued his inspiring form this season, with 15 goals and 11 assists in 27 Premier League games this season. He has, however, failed to make an impact in any of Manchester United's games against 'top six' opposition, scoring just one goal in seven league games against Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea this season.
Fernandes admitted that his performances against Chelsea and Crystal Palace were not up to the mark. However, he insisted that his contribution on the pitch must not be judged only by the number of goals and assists he provides.
"I don't know what people mean by 'top six' because the teams are in top six in the table. I score and assist against some of them. I score this season against Tottenham. But some say penalties don't count," Fernandes told Sky Sport.
"I know people expect Bruno to score and assist in every game because when I arrived, I was playing really well. If you see my stats, everyone is thinking that Bruno has to score in every game, Bruno has to assist in every game.
"And I want to do that, its the most important thing. But as a player, I don't look for the big six or the rest of the league. I look for every game in the same way. And I think the league is not a sprint, it's a marathon. So you don't have to score or win against the big six, you have to score and win against everyone."
Manchester United must reduce over-reliance on Bruno Fernandes if they are to improve under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Manchester United have been heavily reliant on Bruno Fernandes this season. The 26-year-old has been directly involved in 26 of Manchester United's 53 goals this season.
Fernandes has already made 40 appearances for the club this season. While he has stepped up, the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani have been largely inconsistent.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will need his other stars to start performing in the coming weeks if Manchester United are to improve on their third-place finish from last term.
