Former Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley believes Bruno Fernandes is among the concerns surrounding the Reds after what has been a difficult start to the Premier League season.
Michael Carrick’s side have won only one of their first five league matches, beating newly-promoted Ipswich Town 5-2. They have since suffered defeats against Hull City and 10-man Manchester City, while draws against Everton and Fulham have added to the frustration.
Bruno Fernandes has still made an impact in front of goal, scoring three times from midfield this season. All three goals came in the win over Ipswich, as did his only Premier League assist so far.
For Bardsley, the Portugal international’s current form is worrying because of how important he has been to Manchester United over recent seasons.
Bardsley highlights Bruno Fernandes concern
“Bruno Fernandes looks a bit flat to me this year,” Bardsley said. “Being brutally honest, and I’m his biggest advocate, I’m his biggest fan, I think he’s amazing in what he does for the team, you can never question the effort and the work he puts in that people probably don’t see beyond the goals.”
The former United defender, who came through the club’s youth ranks before leaving for Sunderland in 2008, believes Fernandes needs to rediscover his spark. With the midfielder wearing the captain’s armband and continuing to carry a major creative burden, his influence remains closely linked to United’s fortunes.
“He just looks a little bit flat in himself this year, and that’s a bit of a concern, as well, because we know how important he’s been for the last four or five seasons,” Bardsley added.
“Without him we’d probably be in a completely different position. So, hopefully he can find that little bit of spark again, because if he can’t, or hopefully he can bring others along too, it’s going to be difficult if our best player is struggling.”
Defensive problems also alarm Bardsley
Bardsley’s concerns extend beyond Fernandes. He was also critical of United’s defensive performances and the lack of intensity shown by the team.
“Defensively we’re at twos and threes, which is disappointing because after Michael Carrick came last year we looked quite strong, we looked solid,” he said.
He singled out the defeat to Hull as particularly alarming, pointing to a lack of energy and poor body language. Bardsley also referenced the Everton draw, where United conceded after leading 2-1 in the 88th minute, before highlighting the derby defeat to City.
Against City, United struggled to create despite facing 10 men for much of the game.
For Bardsley, the issue is not simply the quality of the back four but the way the players respond collectively.
“Ultimately, defensively, across the board, you can look at the back four and say it’s not the best back four in the world, but as a collective we’ve got to be more aggressive.”
He also called for greater accountability and leadership within the side, arguing that players need to demand more from one another when mistakes are made.
“There’s got to be some sort of demand put on each other and holding players accountable when they make mistakes, when they’re not at the races, or when they’re not stopping crosses or shots. There’s a lack of leadership there.”
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