Manchester's Main Man

Bruno Fernandes’ January arrival at Manchester United has placed the footballing powerhouse back on track.

On the evening of January 30th, Manchester United proudly announced the signing of Sporting Lisbon’s Portuguese talisman, Bruno Fernandes. Not the first time that the English club have been able to boast such an acquisition, with the unforgettable transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo stealing headlines in 2002, followed by Nani’s transfer of an identical nature in 2007.

Manchester United’s announcement would have come as a huge relief to fans, with current midfield maestro Paul Pogba’s United career teetering, as well as a string of ongoing injuries leaving them short-handed for their multitude of February fixtures.

Upon arrival Bruno glowingly admitted that he had always dreamt of playing for Manchester United, thanks largely to Cristiano Ronaldo’s influence on him as an aspiring young footballer. Bruno then went on to say, “I have worked hard to get to this moment and I can promise the fans that I will give everything for the badge to help bring us more success”.

A promise which the initial 46.5-million-pound signing didn’t waste any time in delivering.

Fernandes’ debut came in a 0-0 draw with Wolves on 1/2/20, only days after his arrival in Manchester. Although it was an underwhelming result for both sides, Fernandes shone in his full debut as he was awarded man-of-the-match. He displayed to team-mates, staff-members and fans exactly what he brings to a side that was in desperate need of energy and creativity. After a string of poor results prior to his arrival, Bruno’s presence had United fans dreaming once again.

United’s following Premier League fixture was an imperative away trip to Chelsea, to help keep United’s fight for a top-four finish alive. The significance of this fixture couldn’t be subdued, and the United players made that evident.

United emerged victorious as they beat the London based side 2-0. Fernandes once again was the architect behind everything that United threw at Chelsea. Anthony Martial nodded the reds ahead in the first-half, from a pin-point Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross. Fernandes landed an assist of his own in the second-half, whipping in a venomous corner which club captain Harry Maguire dispatched with conviction. United were back and coming for top-four with a vengeance.

United’s final February Premier League fixture was at home to the struggling Watford. If United fans thought that Bruno had conjured up his best football in their previous two fixtures, then they were in for a pleasant surprise. Fernandes produced what could only be described as a master-class as United rampantly ran-away as 3-0 winners.

The Portuguese international dispatched a 42nd minute penalty and from that moment on there was no looking back.

A neatly threaded through ball to Anthony Martial had him through on goal, only to see his shot saved, before turning both Watford’s goal-keeper and centre-back, before finishing elegantly over the Ben Foster.

To further deepen Watford’s woes, Bruno joined in a United counter-attack which was started and finished by recent United academy graduate Mason Greenwood. Bruno picked out the youngster just inside Watford’s box, before the Englishmen sent a scintillating strike fizzing in off the cross-bar to complete the rout.

Once again named man-of-the-match following his performance against Watford with one goal and one assist, Bruno Fernandes was beginning to draw headlines for all the right reasons.

His first three league games had given him the perfect platform to display his capabilities. It became damningly clear that United had a rare talent on their hands. He was comfortable gliding past opponents, finding team-mates with pin-point passing at both short and long-range, as well as testing keepers with venomous strikes from a variety of distances. Although Fernandes had already made it clear that he had a plethora of talents up his sleeve, his most important characteristic he brought to the side was his mentality. It is apparent in the way he conducts himself on the pitch that he expects nothing but the best from himself, as well as those around him, as a result he was elevating the level of those playing around him too.

In mid-March after voting had concluded, Bruno Fernandes was revealed as the Premier League’s player of the month for February. An award that was undoubtedly warranted and was a clear reflection of his ability and immediate impact on Manchester United.

United’s two Premier League fixtures in March were a 1-1 draw away to Everton, as well as an impactful 2-0 victory over local rivals Manchester City. Two more matches in which Fernandes oozed class from start to finish, before the season came to an abrupt halt as a result of COVID-19’s ramifications on both the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.

United got off to a shaky start in the draw with Everton, as a David De Gea error enabled Dominic Calvert-Lewin to give the Toffees the lead within three minutes. Fernandes made his influence felt shortly after the thirty-minute mark, as he took aim from 20-yards out and send a shot rifling into the bottom corner of Jordan Pickford’s goal to level the scores, a result which was how the game went on to finish.

The following fixture, and the last before the Premier League’s three-month hiatus was a result that was worth its weight in gold.

Fernandes teed up the inform Anthony Martial with a delicate, but routine free-kick. The lofted ball landed perfectly on the boot of the Frenchman who laced it in, putting the Red Devils ahead. United were relentless in their defensive efforts as well as their forward press to hold onto their lead. The side’s intensity paid off in the 96th minute when Scott McTominay capitalised on a lazy piece of distribution from Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson, to double their lead, putting the ball into an empty net from 40-yards out to seal United’s derby delight.

Bruno Fernandes had been in the Premier League for under two-months but appeared to be more settled than most players are after spending years playing in the Premier League.

The time away between March and June provided some much-needed respite for Manchester United who were slowly coming back to full-strength before the break but were still without Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba due to their ongoing battles with injuries.

United’s date with destiny after having three months off came against Spurs, who were led by former United manager Jose Mourinho at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the 20/6/20.

United had a full-strength squad at their disposal and it showed once the cob-webs had dusted off in the early stages of the game.

Steven Bergwijn tore a hole in Manchester United’s defence in the 27th minute to put Spurs ahead, but United clawed their way back into the game. Exhilarating build-up from the likes of Fernandes, Rashford, Martial and second-half substitute Pogba pushed the side into top gear. In the 81st minute they were rewarded when none other than Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty which Pogba had won, after toying with Eric Dier as he weaved his way into the penalty area.

First game back finished in a 1-1 draw, which was a fair result and gave both sides a lot of positives to take with them looking forward to the remainder of the season.

Most recently, Manchester United welcomed Sheffield United to an empty Old Trafford Stadium, a site which few could have ever imagined on a Premier League match day.

Although the home support wasn’t there to cheer on the reds, the side look as inspired as ever as they rampantly defeated the visitors 3-0.

Anthony Martial picked up where he left off before the break, by scoring his first ever professional hat trick. The first Manchester United player to do so since Robin Van-Persie against Aston Villa in United’s title winning game, during the 2012/2013 campaign.

Bruno was on song once again as he and Pogba controlled the tempo for United through the midfield, with defensive-midfield-maestro Nemanja Matic sitting deep to provide the aforementioned duo with the freedom to push forward.

There was no shortage of chances as well as possession as Bruno and co looked to be functioning as a full-strength cohesive unit from start-to-finish.

The Premier League is back, United are performing and Bruno Fernandes is proving to Manchester United and the world that he is worth every penny that the club paid for him.

Will his unparalleled influence help to lift United to their desperately coveted top-four finish this season?

Only time will tell.