Manchester United have scored 24 times in the Premier League this season - only three teams have fewer goals; Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher put the spotlight on Fernandes' role in the latest episode of The Overlap
Friday 19 January 2024 14:21, UK
Gary Neville says Bruno Fernandes' freedom on the pitch is negatively impacting Manchester United's attacking play.
United may have hit the net twice against Tottenham on Sunday but only three teams have scored fewer goals than them in the Premier League this season.
Speaking on The Overlap, Sky Sports pundit Neville suggested the positioning of Portugal international Fernandes could be a key reason for Erik ten Hag's side's struggles in attack.
"Any team that is anything at all you see repeated patterns," said Neville. "Bruno Fernandes is obviously the best player in terms of talent but he's everywhere.
"He must be told to go and do what you want. I don't see Ten Hag say to him, 'get back in'. With Pep Guardiola, if a [Man City] player plays out of position for a minute or two minutes [Guardiola and his coaches are] on the sideline saying, 'get back into your position'.
"Ten Hag is giving him the freedom to go there, there, there.
"And that means you can never have a combination or a pattern because you've got your main midfield player everywhere on the pitch.
"It's almost a bit like 20 years ago where your No 10, you gave them licence to play. That's gone now. You have to fit within a combination and a pattern and system of attacking shape."
Former England and Manchester City women's team midfielder Jill Scott underlined the difference in structure between the Manchester rivals, pointing to how Kevin De Bruyne plays in a more contained position for the defending champions.
"[Fernandes] must have been given the freedom to go and add a number. But if you're playing in that team, it's so difficult if someone is doing that," she said.
"At City, how many players could do that? De Bruyne, [Phil] Foden could do it but they'd never be allowed. We played the same system from the men to the women's team to the academy and I could still tell you all the patterns now.
"You get a little bit of freedom but De Bruyne will operate mainly on that right side of the pitch, he's not running over to the left. Everything works together."
But does the issue go beyond coaching? Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher argued Fernandes' roaming has been a feature of his game throughout his time at the club - and is preventing him from being a truly great player.
"I used to describe [former Man Utd midfielder Paul] Pogba a bit like this... I think there's a difference between being a great talent and a great player," said Carragher.
"I think Pogba was a great talent but I don't think he was a great player. It's the same with Bruno Fernandes. For the great players, it's in their head, understanding where they need to be.
"De Bruyne is better than Fernandes but in terms of creating chances, Fernandes isn't a million miles from him.
"I've seen [Fernades do this] under [former United boss Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer. It's not being lazy, he's running everywhere without the ball.
"He's emotional. He runs 30 yards to close the goalkeeper down. People sometimes get kidded by it and say, 'look at him working hard'. No, he's killing the team."
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane agreed and said the team's poor form overall is adding to the issue.
"If you watch him at international level, he does the same. It can't all be the coaches and managers," said Keane.
"If he's producing magic you forgive him but if you're in a struggling team and he's doing that stuff, that's where it stands out and you go, 'you're costing us'.
"I think it's a trait. It's not as if he's an inexperienced player. You'd get away with it if Manchester United were winning more matches and he was producing his magic."
