Bruno Fernandes emerged as Manchester United’s hero in what was a thrilling 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
Despite being a low-scoring match, Man United thoroughly entertained the Old Trafford crowd with some promising counter-attacks and some solid defending against an aggressive Arsenal front line.
While it was a slow start to the match for the home side, who managed just one shot in the first 45 minutes, Fernandes brought his team to life.
After Alejandro Garnacho was brought down on the edge of the box, the United captain stepped up to take a free-kick from close range. Fernandes struck his shot hard and true, beating the goalkeeper to send his team into the lead ahead of the half-time break.
Fernandes’ shooting was impeccable, with three shots on target and none off target.
He came frustratingly close to restoring United’s lead late in the second half, only for David Raya to get a glove to his lethal snapshot.
The Portuguese playmaker’s passing was also of a high calibre. He completed 30 of 35 passes for an 86% passing accuracy.
Fernandes made one key pass while completing four of his six long balls.
He also aided his team greatly in defence, blocking one shot and making two tackles.
The only downside in his performance was his physicality. Fernandes won just three of nine ground duels while failing to execute either of his two dribbles.
Overall, it was another fine performance by Fernandes, who shone as a member of the front three in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 setup.
Still, it is worrying to think about how heavily United depend on Fernandes, who truly appears to be the glue that holds the entire team together.
Hopefully, he can perform admirably again when United look to progress in the UEFA Europa League against Real Sociedad next week.
(Stats via Sofascore)
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Mathew Cohen
A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.
