STANDOUT MOMENT
How long have you got? Bruno has contributed in virtually every conceivable way in recent weeks, and his portfolio of goals and assists contains stunning levels of variety.
Direct free-kicks? Two, against Everton and Arsenal. Long-range classics? Yep, that Sunday-night pearler at Leicester. Penalties? Plenty, of course. Smart, ruthless finishes? There was one with the left foot, against Fulham, and one with the right, versus Real Sociedad.
Assists? They run the gamut, from a series of wicked set-pieces (Ipswich) to great through balls (Hojlund v Leicester).
But, writing purely as a fan, I think my favourite moment was in the latter stages of the 3-2 win over Ipswich. We’d been down to 10 men for more than half the game and were clinging onto the advantage earned through Harry Maguire’s header (another Fernandes assist). In the final stages, however, Bruno showed the full scope of his personality and spirit. In one memorable passage he made a block on the edge of United’s box, steamed up the left flank, almost created a goal with a cross for Noussair Mazraoui, and then dragged his legs all the way back again, as Ipswich threatened to counter. Adam Crafton, of The Athletic, tweeted: “The fitness and stamina of Bruno Fernandes is remarkable.”
It summed up Bruno’s leadership of a struggling team; the Portuguese willing to do every job necessary, across 90 draining minutes, to pull his team-mates through to victory. He might not be able to tackle like Bryan Robson and Roy Keane, but he matches them for energy, and leaves them in the dust when it comes to creativity and goalscoring.
But why compare directly? Footballers, and leaders, come in different shapes and sizes. And – it’s important to stress – every player must operate within the different scenarios and contexts that shape their careers. Keane, for example, was relegated with Nottingham Forest in 1993, and then won the Double at United just a year later.
