Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday, 31 October, further highlighted the majority of issues bugging the club at the moment.
The Red Devils missed several big chances, lacked control in possession, and were vulnerable at the back once again. But perhaps one of the biggest concerns for supporters will be Bruno Fernandes’ prolonged poor run of form.
The Portuguese, who was excellent last season, appears to have regressed this season, managing just four goals and one assist in 12 appearances. He was also off-colour against Chelsea, as United suffered their seventh defeat in 13 games this season.
The 32-year-old is already in the final 12 months of his contract, and his recent performances suggest that INEOS may have to speed up succession plans. One player who has long been linked as Fernandes’ possible heir is Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
| Apps | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Minutes | 720 | 237 | 17 | 974 |
| Starts | 8 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Sub appearances | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Goals | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Non-penalty goals | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Assists | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Goals + assists | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Minutes per goal | 240 | 237 | – | 244 |
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| xG (PL) | 2.98 | – | – | 2.98 |
| xA (PL) | 1.61 | – | – | 1.61 |
| xG + xA (PL) | 4.59 | – | – | 4.59 |
| Avg rating | 7.06 | 6.91 | 6.30 | 6.96 |
| Shots | 15 | 7 | 1 | 23 |
| Shots on target | 6 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| Shot accuracy % | 40.0% | 42.9% | 0.0% | 39.1% |
| Conversion % | 20.0% | 14.3% | 0.0% | 17.4% |
| Passes | 467 | 129 | 18 | 614 |
| Accurate passes | 376 | 108 | 17 | 501 |
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass accuracy % | 80.5% | 83.7% | 94.4% | 81.6% |
| Key passes | 19 | 7 | 2 | 28 |
| Dribbles attempted | 8 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Dribbles completed | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Dribble success % | 37.5% | 100.0% | – | 44.4% |
| Tackles | 9 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Tackles + interceptions | 11 | 5 | 0 | 16 |
| Blocks | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Duels | 49 | 14 | 0 | 63 |
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | League Cup | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duels won | 19 | 8 | 0 | 27 |
| Duels won % | 38.8% | 57.1% | – | 42.9% |
| Dribbled past | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Fouls won | 6 | 4 | 0 | 10 |
| Fouls committed | 7 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Offsides | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties won | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties conceded | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Palmer can be Fernandes’ successor
Palmer’s dribbling ability, eye for a pass, and composure with the ball at his feet make him a fantastic long-term replacement for Fernandes. Like the Portuguese, the 24-year-old is good at pressing and knows his way to the goal.
Palmer was not at his best last season, missing much of the campaign with a groin injury and finishing with just 11 goals and three assists in 34 appearances.
His struggles added to speculation regarding his future and ignited talk of a possible move to Old Trafford. However, the transfer never materialised, and a fresh update has now shed light on the saga.
United did not hold Palmer talks
The Daily Mail reports that United did not attempt to prise Palmer away from Stamford Bridge this summer. The report states: “Despite the speculation snowballing in the second half of last season – and it was as if there had been an explosion at a rumour mill – Manchester United never did come in for Cole Palmer.”
The Red Devils were engaged in talks with Chelsea for Andrey Santos this summer and eventually secured the Brazilian’s signature. It was believed that Palmer could have been discussed during those talks.
However, the Daily Mail begs to differ, stating: “According to sources with knowledge of those talks and any others which occurred in that window, Palmer’s name was not mentioned whenever officials from both clubs, such as Chelsea sporting director, Paul Winstanley, and United director of football, Jason Wilcox, spoke.”
Chelsea never considered Palmer exit
While Chelsea were happy to let Santos leave this summer, it is hard to imagine that they would have considered letting Palmer leave. The Daily Mail also confirms this, adding: “Chelsea had insisted all along that Palmer was untouchable.”
“They even handed him another improved contract earlier this month, despite his last season not reaching the standards he had set for himself.”
Palmer was previously under contract until 2033, but is now tied to Stamford Bridge until 2034. All signs indicate that prising him away from Chelsea will be next to impossible.
Featured image by Alex Pantling via Getty Images
