Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is ‘unhappy’ with playing a deeper midfield role in Ruben Amorim’s tactical setup, GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs has revealed.
The Portugal international has been solely utilised in a No. 8 role since the start of the season and has been the subject of heavy criticism from fans and pundits over his recent displays.
Coming off a season where he registered 19 goals and 19 assists in 57 appearances, Fernandes’ impact has been minimal this term going forward, with two goals and no assists in his first seven appearances.
Jacobs suggests that while Fernandes shares a ‘positive relationship’ with Amorim, he is not as content with being deployed deeper in midfield, with United’s summer signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo occupying the two No. 10 positions at the start of the campaign.
Bruno Fernandes ‘Unhappy’ with Midfield Role
Bruno Fernandes in action for Man Utd
Jacobs, speaking on The United Stand, revealed that Fernandes is unhappy playing in a deeper role under Amorim at the beginning of the season:
“You have Bruno Fernandes, who I wouldn't call unhappy with his manager. If anything, they've got a positive relationship, he's the captain of the football club. But he's unhappy with playing that deeper role.
“So this is where a 4-1-4-1 formation might allow you to play Kobbie Mainoo or Manuel Ugarte in a deeper role, Bruno Fernandes and one of Mbeumo or Cunha.
“And then the other, if it's Mbeumo, it could be wide right, or alternatively, Benjamin Sesko might not start every game, and Cunha can play as a number nine. Cunha can also play wide left as well.
“But in this current formation to bring in the goal power and really get the new signings going, Bruno Fernandes is deeper and is obviously either not as effective or not as content in that role.”
Fernandes finished last season as United’s top goal contributor, registering 19 goal involvements in 36 Premier League appearances.
The 'world-class' 31-year-old has scored in both of United’s Premier League wins over Burnley and Chelsea but missed penalties in the 1-1 draw with Fulham in August and the 3-1 loss to Brentford last weekend.
Amorim is approaching his 50th game in charge on Saturday – a home clash against Sunderland – and is not under immediate threat of losing his job despite United’s disappointing start to the season.
The Red Devils have yet to win back-to-back Premier League games since Amorim took charge in November last year and sit 14th in the table after six games this term.