Take him the way he is: Surprise ally leaps to defence of United ace amid criticism

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes justified his reputation as one of the game’s most creative players this season. The Portuguese maestro has been ageing like fine wine and made history this season by registering 21 assists in the Premier League. In the process, Fernandes broke the previous record for the most assists in a Premier League season (20), set by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. The 31 year old also displayed his adaptability this season, slotting in seamlessly in a midfield double pivot alongside Casemiro in former head coach Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system. However, it was as a No. 10 under Amorim’s successor, Michael Carrick, in the second half of the campaign that Fernandes truly came into his own. The Portuguese magnifico ran the show, helping the Red Devils secure third place in the Premier League table. That earned him his first-ever FWA Footballer of the Year award, as well as the Premier League Player of the Season award. Fernandes ended the campaign with nine goals and 22 assists in 37 appearances, all but one of which were starts. Bruno Fernandes Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League35359215-3,068′ FA Cup11-1–90′ EFL Cup10—-45′ Total37369225-3,203′ Source: Transfermarkt. United leader and legend Fernandes, who has won the FA Cup and the EFL Cup during his time at Old Trafford, was handed the armband by former manager Erik ten Hag in 2023. He has not only been United’s chief creator, but has also been one of the hardest workers on the pitch. Last season, the Portuguese covered the most distance among United players in the Premier League. While he is highly appreciated by fans, his tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve has received widespread criticism. Fernandes’ behaviour on the pitch, especially his habit of throwing his arms around, has been scrutinised as well. United legend Roy Keane recently criticised the Portuguese for prioritising the assists record, but he made a glaring mistake by incorrectly quoting the player, leading to a war of words with Fernandes. That incident came up on the Stick to Football podcast, where German legend Jurgen Klinsmann joined Gary Neville and co. to discuss several topics. Klinsmann defends Fernandes During the show, United legend Neville asked Klinsmann in jest if assists mattered to him, aiming a dig at former team-mate Keane’s feud with Fernandes. The ex-USA manager, however, defended the Portuguese, insisting that people have to accept Fernandes the way he is. He said: “Maybe, maybe I won’t say it, I did, but I try to keep it on the funny side of things because you will not change people on the field.” “They have their way of doing it. And if Bruno has made that way, you will not change him anymore. You have got to take him the way he is. At least if some goals come out of it, with all the assists that he is doing, fantastic.” Fernandes’ contract expires at the end of next season, and he is yet to sign a new deal. A previous report states that United are confident that their mercurial skipper will extend his stay at the club. Final Thoughts United are hardly ready for life after Fernandes, whose creative output will be tough to match. However, a recent report states that the Premier League giants are prioritising summer transfers ahead of contract renewal talks with the Portuguese. Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.