Bruno Fernandes thrived in a new role as Manchester United beat Brentford 1-0 at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag shuffled his midfield after the weekend’s defeat at Newcastle, with Manchester United back at Old Trafford.
Scott McTominay featured in a deeper role than he did against Newcastle, with Marcel Sabitzer playing more advanced.
Bruno Fernandes meanwhile featured in a more withdrawn role than usual, playing more as a ‘number eight’ than a ’10.’
Fernandes thrives in deeper role
This was an interesting experiment from Erik ten Hag, with Fred left on the bench again. Bruno Fernandes showed his adaptability really well, making it work.
Manchester United controlled possession with 65 per cent, and Fernandes was key part of this, taking fewer risks in possession.
He had 114 touches of the ball, and completed 83 of 95 passes, an impressive 87 per cent. This is up on his season average in the league of 77 per cent.
Fernandes still managed to create three goalscoring chances too, ensuring the creative side of his game was not lost.
On the other side of the ball, Fernandes won six of seven duels he competed, and made 10 ball recoveries.
Fernandes may only be in this role temporarily, with Casemiro’s suspension soon set to end, and Christian Eriksen returning to first team training this week.
Even so, this was an important demonstration of Fernandes’ ability and adaptability, showcasing he can have a very long future in Erik ten Hag’s system in multiple roles.
Leading the side as captain too, this was a big performance as United battled through the rain to secure a 1-0 win against a side who had only lost five league games all season.
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