Bruno Fernandes has opened up on his position change since the arrival of Rúben Amorim, and it proves why he is the captain of Manchester United.
Manchester United may have only played twice in the Premier League throughout March due to the international break, but Bruno Fernandes still managed to shine.
In a 1-1 draw with Arsenal, it was the Portuguese playmaker who broke the deadlock with a superb strike from the edge of the area.
He followed that up with a commanding performance in a 3-0 win over Leicester City, providing two assists before capping things off with a brilliant goal of his own.
On top of that, the 30-year-old bagged a hat-trick in the Europa League to help fire United into the quarter-finals of the competition.
His outstanding form was recognised as he was named Premier League Player of the Month for April, beating off competition from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Anthony Elanga, Nikola Milenković, Declan Rice, and Jan Paul van Hecke.
Fernandes opens up on position change
While Fernandes has been involved in many goals of late, he has often been playing as a deeper midfielder. The Portuguese international was a central attacking threat under Erik ten Hag, but with Amorim dictating the side now, this has changed.
The 30-year-old has started to play more regularly alongside one of Casemiro or Manuel Ugarte but has been given the license to charge up the pitch when needed. However, he has remained committed to his defensive duties at the club, often seen dueling with opposition across the middle of the park.
When asked by club media how he has adapted to his new position, Fernandes replied: “I like it. In the beginning of my career I was never a 10, so I was always an 8. I’ve played as a 6 in the past at the club, also in some games when we had some injuries and stuff, so it’s a position that I like.
“It depends what the manager demands from me, what he wants, so whatever is better to help the team. Still playing from a deeper position was probably when I started scoring more goals. It’s not about being a 10, it’s about getting in the right places at the right time.
“Sometimes the manager wants me to be a little bit lower for the build-up to try to get longer passes, switches of play, and stuff like that. I’m really happy with it, because I still play, so that’s the main thing. I will be always happy when I’m on the pitch.
“I can’t complain about being in a different position or not playing in a position I prefer, because I don’t have a position that I prefer. The one I prefer is being on the inside of the pitch and trying to help the team. If that’s the way the manager wants me to help, as a 6, as a centre-back, as a wing-back, whatever he wants me to play, I will be always available to do it.”
Fernandes proves why he is United’s captain
There has been a lot of discourse surrounding if Fernandes is captain material for United after some took poorly to the player’s tendency to lash out at referees on the pitch.
However, with the 30-year-old explaining that he would be happy playing anywhere on the pitch to help fight for United, this shows exactly why he was selected as the club captain and should remain so for the future.
In the last decade, many United players have been accused of not caring enough about the club and only being at United for either the fame or money, but Fernandes sitting at the helm of the squad helps install a higher standard and team mentality that other players can feed off of.
With United looking to shape their future to once again become a dominant force across England and Europe, they must continue to look to players such as Fernandes to rebuild a dynasty of stars who would do anything to guarantee success at Old Trafford.
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