Bruno Fernandes and the art of not touching the ball | OneFootball

Let’s be clear: Bruno Fernandes had a troublesome start to the current season. The Manchester United captain’s early form was best characterised by three penalties in separate games, of which two were missed to cost United vital points and pile pressure on manager Ruben Amorim.

It wasn’t just the penalties. The Portugal man had looked off-colour since the end of last season, during which he was poor in his team’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur – a result that cost the club European football and ended Amorim’s generously extended honeymoon period.

The first of the penalty trilogy came against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Matchday 2, arriving amid a first half in which United should certainly have taken the lead. The Red Devils did eventually go ahead with a fortunate scrappy goal by Leny Yoro after the break, but by that time their performance level had dropped to the extent that Fulham’s recovery and a 1-1 was fair.

Fernandes redeemed himself the following weekend, scoring from the spot to give United a late victory over Burnley. However, another miss against Brentford earlier this month proved disastrous. A successful conversion would have levelled the score at 2-2; instead, Fernandes was denied and Brentford emerged 3-1 winners.

It wasn’t just the penalties, either. Asked by Amorim to perform a more disciplined, defensive-minded role, Fernandes has clearly struggled with some of the finer details of the job at hand. A sloppy ceding of possession on the opening day against Arsenal led to the corner from which the Gunners scored their winner. Fernandes also notably failed to track his man for Fulham’s equaliser, as well as Phil Foden for a goal in the 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City.

The situation led to calls in some sections of the United fanbase for Fernandes to be dropped – a previously unthinkable suggestion across his five years at the club. Others revisited the decision of both Fernandes and the club to turn down Saudi Arabian money in the summer. Amorim never gave any public implication that taking his fellow Portuguese out of the line-up was under consideration, but the mere notion as a talking point represented a shift in narrative surrounding United’s talisman.

How welcome, then, that Fernandes has been serenaded in the British media, especially by former pros, for his contribution to United’s upturn in form, particularly the recent victories over Liverpool and Brighton. Fernandes did not score in either game, but his unique ability to produce moments of instinctive brilliance have been the signature underlining both wins.

Anfield magic

First, there was his assist for United’s seismic 2-1 win at Anfield. Fernandes had played well for an hour, but began to look tired as the second half wore on, to the point Amorim decided to replace him. When United earned a corner, Fernandes was left on the field in pursuit of a winner, which came when his exquisite first-time cross was headed in by Harry Maguire on 84 minutes to earn a first victory at Anfield in nearly a decade. Only then was Fernandes subbed.

“No matter what gets said about Bruno Fernandes – and he does get a lot of stick – that ball for the winning goal is world class” said ex-Liverpool captain Jamie Redknapp. “And that’s what he brings to this team. He doesn’t take a touch and give the Liverpool defenders the chance to set themselves. So they end up with De Ligt, Maguire and Dorgu at the back post, because they haven’t got time to react. It was a world class ball.”

Former United skipper Roy Keane, who has not been shy of criticising Fernandes in the past, added: “I’d say 99 players of out 100 would have controlled that. For Bruno to do that, to put it back in the right area with the pace it’s coming at him… not many players can do that. If he doesn’t get it right, we’re sitting here saying he’s got to take a touch. But the top players will take risks.”

The no-touch assist

Next up, in United’s 4-2 victory over Brighton at the weekend, Fernandes settled the nerves in the stadium by playing a vital role in the clinching goal. Having gone from cruising at 3-0 up to a nerve-jangling 3-2 scoreline in added time, the final goal by Bryan Mbeumo was met with widespread relief in the Theatre of Dreams – and yet again it was rooted in Bruno’s genius.

When teenage defender Ayden Heaven played the ball forward from backline, there is no doubt he was aiming for his captain. There is also no question the Brighton defence thought the same. However, Fernandes had surveyed behind him and seen Mbeumo’s clever run across the penalty box; therefore, the former Sporting man dummied the ball and his teammate through to clinch the game. By not playing the ball, Fernandes created the chance from which Amorim secured his third straight win.

“Watch that dummy! Oh my word he’s so clever,” said Owen Hargreaves, a European Cup winner with United in 2008, when covering the match on television. “He’s so smart. Always checking the shoulder, knows exactly where everybody is. That is just beautiful, honestly. Sometimes the best thing you can do is not touch the football.”

In an era in which pressing structures, orchestrated build-up and team patterns dominate at the expense of individual flair, players like Bruno Fernandes are a dying breed. A player whose tireless work rate and dedication never suppresses his instinct for creativity and expression. While so many players focus on adhering to instruction, bound by loyalty to micro-managed football, one wonders if there is a player in the world’s most-watched league who so richly defines what it is to be a maverick.

The Premier League is lucky to have him.