Manchester United picked up their third successive Premier League home win, this time a comfortable 2-0 victory against Sunderland on Saturday.
For the first time this season, Ruben Amorim’s tactics worked a treat, but question marks remain over the system he employs.
Most of the doubts are regarding the lack of balance in midfield, with the head coach currently playing Bruno Fernandes in the middle of the park instead of his preferred attacking midfield role.
While ball progression has improved as a result, the club captain’s shift to a deeper role has meant more defensive responsibilities on him.
Bruno’s form has dropped as a result of deeper role
But most importantly, playing the 31-year-old playing further away from goal means he has not been as effective as seen from him scoring only twice so far this campaign.
His frustration has boiled over at times, while his overall lack of impact has also resulted in him missing twice from the spot.
The 31-year-old’s heat map from games shows his ineffectiveness, and while the skipper maintains a cordial relationship with his coach, he is far from happy with his new role.
This information comes courtesy journalist Ben Jacobs (via Givemesport), who said, “You have Bruno Fernandes, who I wouldn’t call unhappy with his manager.
If anything, they’ve got a positive relationship, he’s the captain of the football club. But he’s unhappy with playing that deeper role.
“So this is where a 4-1-4-1 formation might allow you to play Kobbie Mainoo or Manuel Ugarte in a deeper role, Bruno Fernandes and one of Mbeumo or Cunha.
Unhappy under Amorim
“And then the other, if it’s Mbeumo, it could be wide right, or alternatively, Benjamin Sesko might not start every game, and Cunha can play as a number nine. Cunha can also play wide left as well.
“But in this current formation to bring in the goal power and really get the new signings going, Bruno Fernandes is deeper and is obviously either not as effective or not as content in that role.”
It would be far more beneficial if Kobbie Mainoo were to play that role, allowing the Portugal international to play in a position from where he can hurt the opposition the most.
With Bruno Fernandes constantly linked with an exit, a tweak from Amorim might be the best way to keep him at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future.
Feature image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
