There’s been a void in the United squad since Rooney’s 2017 departure but maybe Solskjaer has found his replacement
Manchester United fans didn’t know how good they had it with Wayne Rooney.
As a number 10, he was all action and offered you everything you needed. He had a great defensive work rate, a fantastic eye for a pass and could always be counted on when his team were in need of a goal.
His extensive skillset meant he was played in a variety of positions during his 13-year stay at Old Trafford, and you always knew he would be one of the best players on the pitch regardless of where he was playing.
United have struggled to replace both the quality and the leadership Rooney brought to the table. Until now.
Bruno Fernandes has been United’s talisman since the second he walked through the door in January 2019. In 94 games he’s scored 44 goals and registered 32 assists, with his output proving vital in United notching a second-place finish in the Premier League last season as well as reaching the Europa League final.
United have possibly become guilty of relying on Fernandes a little too much of late, but with the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo and subsequent switch to a 3-5-2 formation under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – where Fernandes is likely to play behind Ronaldo and one of Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford or Mason Greenwood – he’s not going to be tasked with carrying the team any longer.
In fact, like Rooney, Fernandes will now play the role of deputy to the headline stealers. His job will be to link up the attack and ensure whoever leads the line is given the support and service they need, not to mention chipping in with a few goals for himself.
The recent wins over Atalanta and Tottenham showed exactly what we can expect to see from Fernandes this season.
Against Atalanta in the Champions League, he created eight chances and was instrumental in the team’s comeback win, registering two assists including a fantastic cross which was met by Harry Maguire at the back post.
Against Spurs, the pass for Ronaldo to score the opener reminded many fans of the link-up between Rooney and former Manchester United forward Robin van Persie as the Dutchman latched onto his teammate’s long ball to score a famous volley against Aston Villa.
The perfectly weighted ball by Fernandes to Ronaldo on Saturday was absolutely brilliant, with the accompanying finish arguably a match for Van Persie’s strike all those years ago.
Many have pointed out how Fernandes hasn’t scored since the win over Newcastle before suggesting the presence of Ronaldo has perhaps had an impact on Fernandes’ output.
While it’s easy to jump to conclusions (especially when the world seems so desperate to moan at Ronaldo whenever the chance presents itself) Fernandes’ lack of goals can quite easily be explained by his role in the team having been adjusted.
The Portugal international is more of a playmaker at United this season. Last campaign he was averaging 2.6 key passes per 90 minutes and registered 17 assists, but so far this season he’s averaged 3.8 key passes per 90 minutes and he already has seven assists in just 14 games across all competitions.
He may not be the number one player for United anymore, nor the player that grabs the headlines, but he’s still an absolutely crucial player and Solskjaer knows exactly what he’s doing by building his team around him.
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