Bruno Fernandes: United ace on positional tweak under Amorim

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes has etched his name into Premier League history this week. The Portuguese maestro is already part of Old Trafford folklore thanks to his incredible spell with the Red Devils so far.

Fernandes is only the third player after Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney to register 100 goals and 100 assists for the English giants. The former Sporting midfielder arrived at the Theatre of Dreams in January 2020 in what proved to be a turning point in the club’s recent history.

Fernandes was everything that the doctor ordered for United and he has been indispensable ever since. This season, the Portuguese has broken the record for the most assists by a United player in the Premier League era, previously held by David Beckham.

On Sunday, Fernandes registered his 20th league assist of the season in the 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest. In the process, he equalled the record for the most assists in a Premier League campaign, jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

While Fernandes has been on fire in the past few months, the season has not always been smooth sailing for him, especially under former head coach Ruben Amorim, who departed in January.

Fernandes’ record under Amorim

Fernandes started the campaign in an unfamiliar double-pivot role in Amorim’s controversial 3-4-3 system alongside Casemiro. Having previously thrived in the No. 10 role, the Portuguese maestro was forced into a deeper position to accommodate United’s new-look attack.

However, it is a credit to the player’s ability that he adapted brilliantly to the role change. Even from a deeper role, Fernandes continued to influence games, and remained United’s creator-in-chief.

The 31 year old’s work ethic, eye for a pass and vision made him an asset in the role, even as questions were raised over whether the position stifled his creative powers. Amorim, however, did not last, with INEOS dismissing him in January and appointing Michael Carrick as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

One of the English manager’s first decisions was to abandon the 3-4-3 formation and restore Fernandes to the No.10 role in a 4-2-3-1 setup. That move ended up saving United’s season, with the Portuguese helping fire United to third in the Premier League table and secure a return to the Champions League next season.

Fernandes has now opened up about operating in a deeper role under former head coach Amorim.

Bruno Fernandes Stats: 2025/26 Season

A learning experience for the United skipper

Speaking on the Inside Carrington podcast, Fernandes insisted that operating in a deeper role helped improve his game.

He said: “I think playing deeper on the pitch gave me an overall view of the game or how I should play in certain moments, when to speed up the game, when to slow it down, understanding also the feeling of the players that normally play deeper than me, make you understand how much space they have to cover, how they react, how you have to react in certain situations, and I think that helped me a lot.”

Final Thoughts

While Fernandes adapted admirably to a deeper role, there is no doubt that he is most dangerous operating in the No. 10 position. However, with the player’s contract due to expire next summer, INEOS must tie him down to a new deal soon and allow fans to enjoy watching their mercurial skipper sizzle for a few seasons more.

Most chances created this PL season:

130 — Bruno Fernandes
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71 — Dominik… pic.twitter.com/rarPRXxUy6

— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) May 17, 2026

Featured image by Molly Darlington/Getty Images

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