Former Manchester United star now a burden! Amolin’s tactical choices create problems, Bruno Fernandes faces uncertain future

Before addressing Manchester United’s present problems, it’s important to highlight two things. Firstly, there isn’t just one issue within the team; secondly, although Bruno Fernandes is part of the problem, it’s not just about him. The 30-year-old became a barrier to the team’s success at Craven Cottage, but he cannot be held solely responsible.

Last season provides proof as well. Fernandes had a rough start, with only one assist before the October match against Southampton. However, after Ten Hag’s departure, the Portuguese midfielder quickly scored his first goal and ended up as the team’s top scorer and assist provider.

However, if Ruben Amorim consistently deploys Fernandes as one of the two central midfielders in a 3-4-3 formation, the outcome could be questionable. In the 1-1 draw against Fulham, the Red Devils captain was involved in two key moments that prevented the team from winning, both having negative consequences.

In the first half, after colliding with referee Chris Kavanagh, Fernandes lost his composure and blasted a penalty over the bar. In the second half, in the same area, he allowed Fulham’s Smith Rowe to slip past him and score an equalizer at the near post, right in front of the goal he had missed a penalty against.

Moreover, Fulham repeatedly bypassed Manchester United’s midfield with ease, whether it was Fernandes paired with Casemiro, Fernandes with Mason Mount, or Fernandes with Ugart. The common factor in all these combinations was Fernandes, who appeared almost invisible on the pitch.

This was not by chance but a tactical plan by Fulham’s coach Marco Silva. Forward Ivo confirmed after the game: “We knew we could run behind Manchester United’s two midfielders, which would pull their center-backs out. The team exploited this today.”

What’s worrying is that this might become a standard tactic for opponents in the coming weeks, months, or even the entire season. Ruben Amorim said Fernandes missed the penalty partly due to the referee’s unexpected actions and partly because he carries too much responsibility. This is entirely true; under the 40-year-old Portuguese coach, the captain has been burdened with excessive tactical duties beyond his capacity.

Last season, Amorim positioned Fernandes in a deeper midfield role because Manchester United lacked a capable passer in midfield. Casemiro and Cody Meno might be closer to that standard, but both are physically limited—one older, one younger; Ugart only defends and his poor passing was the main reason Luis Enrique sidelined him at PSG.

After signing Cunha and Mbemo, Amorim believed Fernandes dropping deeper would no longer affect the team’s passing in attack. Yet this was overly optimistic since Fernandes has never been a consistent midfield playmaker; Manchester United fans know well that the Portuguese excels at risky through balls rather than controlling possession rhythm.

Amorim’s insistence on the 3-4-3 formation has resulted in the two best-performing attacking players last season being locked into unnatural positions. Besides Fernandes, there is Amad Diallo forced to play as right wing-back. It’s important to understand that being able to play a position doesn’t mean playing it well. This applies to Fernandes as a defensive midfielder and Amad as a wing-back—they can play there and want to, but the results may not be ideal.

Last season, Manchester United scored only 44 goals in the Premier League. Although players wasted many chances, the team’s expected goals were just 52.6, ranking in the bottom 10 of the league, indicating chance creation is also an issue. This problem persisted in the first two matches of the new season. Although Amorim said the team created good chances and fans saw hope in the play, the actual number of clear opportunities was limited despite dominant possession.

Against Arsenal, Manchester United had no shot classified as a “big chance”; versus Fulham, the Red Devils created only one significant opportunity according to Opta data, which came from goalkeeper Alphonse Baindil’s long pass to Cunha, whose shot was saved by Fulham’s keeper Leno.

When Amorim places Fernandes in central midfield with Mount, Cunha, and Mbemo ahead, it compresses the area where the Portuguese international is most effective. He cannot showcase his creative strengths or provide consistent defensive and offensive contributions, making this setup hard to justify.

Fernandes is an emotional player, and currently his mindset is clearly unsettled. After colliding with referee Chris Kavanagh, he kept complaining and eventually missed the penalty. Slow-motion footage showed the referee was checking player positioning outside the box and did not see Fernandes—it was a pure accident. Fernandes’ overreaction reflects his emotional turmoil.

Furthermore, changing Fernandes’ position has sacrificed the development of another midfielder, academy graduate Cody Meno. The 20-year-old English international hasn’t played a second in the first two Premier League rounds. “Why hasn’t Cody played? It’s simple, because he’s competing with Bruno for the same spot,” Amorim explained.

Amorim refuses to pair Fernandes with Meno because such a 3-4-3 midfield duo would be more fragile defensively than any previous combination. Apart from both occasionally making forward runs to score, their other characteristics differ greatly, making it unclear why they compete for the same position or if the role truly suits them. Fernandes’ strength lies in risky, threatening passes, while Meno calmly controls possession.

Manchester United’s best players, most promising academy talent, and £200 million new attacking trio are all placed in the same lineup, which seems completely unrealistic. At least within Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, it appears impossible. The solution is simple: either Amorim changes the formation or stops using Fernandes in midfield.

However, the likelihood of Fernandes leaving Manchester United this summer is very low. Although there have been rumors linking him to Saudi Professional League club Al-Ittihad, “Athletic” confirmed that Manchester United will not actively push for a transfer, and Fernandes himself does not want to move to the Middle East before next year’s World Cup. Saudi sources also doubt the rumors hold much substance.

If Fernandes were to go to Saudi Arabia, he would have done so when Al-Hilal invited him, as he could have participated in the Club World Cup then. Later, Al-Nassr was also a good option, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernandes’ former coach Jorge Jesus. Choosing to join Al-Ittihad now would offend many influential figures in Portuguese football and harm his World Cup prospects, so there is no reason to believe he will leave Manchester United at this time.

With Fernandes staying, Manchester United needs to find ways to highlight his strengths and mask his weaknesses. This could involve finding or signing a suitable midfield partner or reconsidering the decision to play him deeper. Amorim already faces many problems, and through his tactics and personnel choices, he has turned the team’s best player in years into a new challenge.