Pundit destroys Man Utd star Bruno Fernandes’ POTY chances – ‘total joke’ | OneFootball

The fact Bruno Fernandes has emerged as a leading contender for the Player of the Year award has seen talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham launch a remarkable tirade against the Manchester United star.

Fernandes has registered eight goals and 20 assists in 33 appearances so far this campaign. 19 of those assists have come in the Premier League, putting the Man Utd captain just one behind Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s joint record for a single season.

If Arsenal fail to win the Premier League, then Fernandes could overtake the likes of Declan Rice, Gabriel and David Raya in the chase for the Player of the Year Award.

But Durham has savaged Fernandes’ chances in a ridiculous rant. The pundit appears incensed that the Portuguese could win the award without playing anywhere near as many games as Rice and his fellow Arsenal stars.

“My tolerance level has peaked with people banging on, droning on, whining on about Bruno Fernandes and his assist stats,” he said on talkSPORT.

“And he’s going to break some record or other, apparently. First of all, assist stats. I mean, do they really mean that much? They’re a little guide.

“Yes, you can use them, fine. But what was this assist? Was it a pass to somebody who smacked in a beauty in the top corner from 30 yards? Is that really an assist?

“Anyway, besides that, let’s just say Bruno Fernandes’ assist stats should carry an asterisk. Someone said to me the other day that Bruno Fernandes should be Player of the Year.

“I haven’t laughed so much since I caught on video Alex Crook, the chief football correspondent, doing the YMCA in a bar near Wembley. And he’s still paying me for keeping that video.

“Bruno Fernandes is basically taking a year off football this season. He’s having a year-long holiday. And for Bruno, this whole season should be asterisked.

“And people fawning over him are a total joke. He won’t even play 40 games this season. It’s pathetic.

“Declan Rice and Rayan Cherki have played 50 already, with more to come. Nico O’Reilly is on 49, and he’s a baby. Martin Zubimendi is on 51 already, with more to come.

“These are proper contenders, not someone who’s turning up once a week and isn’t even in double figures goals. And by the way, of his eight goals this season – only eight goals – just one was against the top sides.

“And even then, that was Chelsea, so it doesn’t even count. So he’s got a big number of assists, okay? Fair enough.

“But of course, he looks good when he’s been part of a side that’s only playing Premier League games.

“He was one of the reasons United aren’t in Europe this season. He was on the pitch when they got knocked out of the League Cup by Grimsby. Lauding someone’s assist stats in their laziest season ever is praising failure.

“He doesn’t have the pressure or the physical cost of multiple competitions.

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Bruno Fernandes award should have ‘asterisk’

“Show some respect to proper footballers by leaving him out of the Player of the Year conversation. Stick an asterisk next to the assist tally because he’s got his numbers up by not bothering with any other competitions.

“Just finally on this. A season of just 40 games is an embarrassment for a club like Manchester United.

“So Captain Calamity can stick all his assist stats in the bin because he got them by taking a week off between games, which is something top footballers don’t do.”

Durham has clearly missed Fernandes’ excellent displays for United this season, where he has been their talisman and creative spark.

It is harsh to judge Fernandes for United not having Champions League football, and therefore more games this season. He has been United’s best performer during an extremely turbulent period, and there are plenty more people to blame, particuarly former head coach Ruben Amorim.

Fernandes has been so good that United believe keeping him is the crucial decision that will help them win the Premier League title inside two years.

Given these comments, Durham may just explode if Fernandes picks up the award later this season.