Bruno Fernandes is dissatisfied with Ruben Amorim

Manchester United continued their strong home performances with a 2-0 win against Sunderland. Yet, tactical doubts persist regarding manager Ruben Amorim, particularly about the role assigned to captain Bruno Fernandes.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs (via Givemesport), Bruno Fernandes is “not entirely happy” with the new role Amorim has given him. Although he maintains a good relationship with the head coach and serves as team captain, Bruno feels uncomfortable being positioned too deep in the current tactical setup.

Since the start of the season, Amorim has experimented with a possession-based formation, placing Bruno in a deeper central midfield role instead of his usual “number 10” position behind the striker. This change has significantly improved Man Utd’s ball circulation but has also added defensive responsibilities for Bruno, limiting his attacking freedom.

As a result, the Portuguese player’s performance has noticeably declined. So far, he has only scored 2 goals, a surprisingly low tally for a player who was once the main creative and scoring force for the Red Devils. Additionally, Bruno has missed 2 penalties, reflecting his lack of confidence and fatigue from playing out of his natural role.

Heat maps from recent matches show that he mainly operates in the midfield area, rarely entering the penalty box as before. While still professional and respectful towards Amorim, Bruno Fernandes is reportedly unhappy about being “tied down” in a deeper role.

Sources from Ben Jacobs reveal that Amorim might consider switching to a 4-1-4-1 formation, allowing Kobbie Mainoo or Manuel Ugarte to play as the deepest midfielder, which would free Bruno Fernandes to return to a more attacking, free role. This would enable him to combine with Mbeumo or Cunha in midfield, balancing the team without compromising attacking efficiency.

Allowing Bruno to play higher up would not only increase Man Utd’s creativity but also help the player regain his joy and effectiveness on the pitch. With constant rumors about Bruno Fernandes potentially leaving Old Trafford in the future, a sensible tactical adjustment from Amorim could be key to retaining the captain, who remains the heart of Man Utd’s midfield in recent years.