The Manchester United Premier League campaign began on a sour note, but they recovered from an opening-day defeat to record a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town in their second match. Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick against Ipswich Town to put the Manchester United Premier League campaign back on track.
Manchester United will take on Everton in their next Premier League encounter on Sunday, September 6. It will be the first stiff test in the Manchester United Premier League campaign in the 2026/27 season. However, concerns remain about their supposed over-dependence on their midfield maestro, Bruno Fernandes.
How Much Does The Manchester United Premier League Campaign Depend On Bruno Fernandes?
The Manchester United Premier League campaign relies a lot on the 31-year-old Portuguese midfielder, who has 110 goals and more than 100 assists for the club in more than 329 appearances for them since 2020. Fernandes is the quintessential number 10, whose ability to sense an opportunity to score a goal in the final third is quite exceptional. He can play those through passes and incisive crosses into the box, which can unsettle even the strongest of defences.
Michael Carrick has made his team play with a 4-2-3-1 formation since taking up the reins of the club, with Fernandes deployed in the number 10 role. Therefore, every time United take the field, the stage is set for Fernandes to work his magic and provide the team with a touch of genius. However, fatigue can always catch up with him, and if his form is to drop or he is to miss matches because of an injury, Manchester United might suffer seriously. They do not have any other player even remotely capable and available to play as the number 10.
If we look at the other clubs, most of the top ones have more than one number 10. Arsenal have Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze, Chelsea have Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer, Liverpool have Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai, and Manchester City have Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden.
United do have Matheus Cunha, who can play in that role, but he usually plays on the left flank or as a striker for both club and country. That makes him a bit too versatile to be the expert at playing in a particular position.
However, the underwhelming summer transfer window saw United sign three defensive midfielders. There is no proper attacking midfielder in the squad except Bruno Fernandes. Mason Mount can be counted as one, but his form has been inconsistent and injury problems constant issue for him since arriving at Manchester United. Kobbie Mainoo could emerge as a good attacking midfielder in the upcoming years, but he is still lacking the experience of playing in that role. In such a scenario, the Manchester United Premier League campaign depends heavily on Bruno Fernandes.
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Fernandes Can Hopefully Continue His Good Form
The Portuguese playmaker won the PFA Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season by registering a record-breaking 21 assists in the Premier League. However, the Red Devils will play in the UEFA Champions League this season, and the pressure of multiple competitions will be on the team.
Fernandes will continue to be the lynchpin in the Manchester United Premier League campaign, and Carrick will hope that his form will not drop in the Red Devils’ bid to win the title after 14 long years. Still, the law of averages can catch up with the Portuguese midfielder at any time, and should an injury occur, United could be in deep trouble.
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