by Bruno Fernandes is Manchester United’s 2020s version of Roy Keane: loud, aggressive, fiercely competitive, highly talented and considered by his manager to be the obvious captain. The Portuguese are all these things, especially in a vintage United who are among the weakest in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
If Ferguson viewed Keane as his alpha male, the Irishman was surrounded by leading acts in Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Jaap Stam and many others. At different times, each has had an argument for being the best player in the Premier League in their position. Fernandes doesn’t enjoy the same A-list supporting cast. In a team game he looks around the pitch every week and maybe only sees Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martínez, when they are fit, who are his equal.
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Here, then, we find another Fernandes parallel to Keane with a different result. The images of captain Ferguson sergeant-at-arms referees – and fellow leaders to follow – are still vivid in the mind’s eye, nearly two decades after he left United. But Keane was in the leading side in his 12 years at the club, captaining eight of them. Criticism may have been muted by the law of esteem that observers may place in the serial winner.
What if Keane broke into Erik ten Hag’s United side? His ability would still be clear, but that genuine effort to win, as patient and as fierce, would be analyzed more regularly, as in the case of Fernandes. Keane had a violent side, as Gareth Southgate or Alf-Inge Haaland could confirm. Fernandes does not. His body language, however, receives scathing reviews. But if Fernandes was going around the pitch like a spring lamb during all of United’s off days, how would this be judged?
As Ten Hag says: “What you see is a player’s character expressed in their body language and that’s not something you can change in a short time. Bruno is a good example of this. I have seen that he wants to win and so he shows his emotion and that is a total strength from him to push his own team. He shows how much he wants to win so that others around him pick him up and go to fight him.”
The Fernandes persona is a Keane-like cocktail of referee attire and in-your-face attire. The previous trait is one that puts off opponents, fans and much of the pundit class, who love to claim the United captain.
Fernandes faces another charge that has never been mentioned against Keane: the play, with his fans watching a thespian ready to perform a half-death act whenever any defender moves within range. But it might be foolish to accuse a player of falling over if an opponent simply exhales nearby.
Fulham are the latest to show why after posting a TikTok clip of Fernandes hitting the Old Trafford turf after meeting Sasa Lukic in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Cottagers. It was edited to a slapstick soundtrack and captioned with “So glad he’s ok” and an “hmm” emoji. Deichniúr Calleach went when they were informed of the clip and asked for an apology.
The Dutchman is adamant that Fernandes was injured in the incident and his desire to play in the 1-0 FA Cup win against Nottingham Forest did not stop him. The 29-year-old set the winning goal for Casemiro, and then caught Felipe across the throat in stoppage time. United fans were less than excited on social media. If Fernandes had done the same, would we still be hearing about it now? Almost certainly.
What is overlooked is how good a footballer Fernandes is. The United player will lead his team to the Etihad Stadium for the 192nd derby on Sunday against Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola is clear that his threat must be nullified.
“He’s always been like that, he can create something,” Guardiola said of Fernandes. “I’m very impressed with him – he’s a great player. Especially the consistency of the player, in every single game in every single competition – I appreciate that.
“He is a man when he has the ball something will happen – from free kicks, set pieces, actions with the players up front, with [Marcus] Rashford, all the strikers there,” said the Manchester City manager. “So what can I say? He’s a really important player.”
Fernandes is rarely injured and his numbers since joining United from Sporting in January 2020 back up the billing. His appearances in all campaigns in United colors are 22, 58, 46, 59 – plus 35 counting this season. His goal returns: 12, 28, 10, 14 and seven. Helps: eight, 17, 14, 15 and eight.
In the corresponding game last season, United went down 6-3. With the side trailing 4-0 at half-time at the jubilant Etihad Stadium, the crowds of United fans went wild before the final result, which saw Anthony Martial’s goals on 84 and 90 minutes belittled.
Fernandes was not in the XI that day due to injury. He and Ten Hag hope he can make a big difference this time. But it will be tough, as Fernandes continues to shine among far too many lesser lights.
