- Manchester United midfielder praises teammates
- Kobbie Mainoo’s new contract
- Bruno Fernandes ‘ extraordinary year
Day by day, it grows harder to articulate the sheer brilliance of Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes. A talismanic attacking midfielder who blurs the line between greatness and legend, Fernandes is in the midst of what may be his finest season in a United shirt.
Despite the club not featuring in Europe, and falling short at the first hurdle in both the FA Cup and League Cup, Fernandes has still drawn widespread plaudits for a remarkable campaign—one that has now yielded 19 assists, just one shy of the Premier League record of 20, jointly held by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry.
With just four games to play, Fernandes does not merely hover near greatness; he stands on the verge of immortality, ready to etch his name into the history books.
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Mainoo’s praise of Fernandes
On the most recent episode of Inside Carrington, Kobbie Mainoo was asked what it is like to play alongside the Portuguese captain.
“He’s a joke,” Mainoo explained. “You see it, the intelligence, and then anything he wants to do that he sees, he can do with his feet as well because he’s so technical. He sees a lot of things before they happen.
“To play on the pitch with him helps you out a lot because you can follow his lead and something creative can come from it, a goal or an assist… he’s gonna give you one of them. So yeah, he’s amazing to play with.”
“Joke” feels almost understated.
While Fernandes leads the assist charts—Rayan Cherki trails as the closest challenger, nine behind—the Portuguese midfielder also tops the metrics for big chances created (28) and overall chances created (114).
In both categories, Fernandes operates at a different altitude. Cherki again sits second for big chances created with 18, while in overall chances created, Fernandes comes close to doubling Declan Rice, who ranks next with 61.
As Fernandes edges towards the assist record, he also flirts with history in these creative metrics.
As with assists, the benchmark remains De Bruyne’s extraordinary 2019/20 season, when he produced 34 big chances—six more than Fernandes has managed so far—and 134 chances created, 17 ahead of the current tally.
With four matches remaining, those records may prove more stubborn, but with history calling his name, Fernandes may yet conjure something special.
Mainoo’s New Contract
While Fernandes continues to operate at an elite level, Mainoo has begun to shake off the rust of the past 17 months, steadily returning to the form that once defined him.
Despite spending much of the 14-month spell under Ruben Amorim on the periphery, Mainoo has forced his way back into the side under interim head coach Michael Carrick, starting every match bar the defeat to Leeds due to a minor injury.
His performances against Chelsea and Brentford over the past fortnight rank among his most assured in a United shirt, and the club has duly rewarded that resurgence with a new contract.
The deal keeps him at Old Trafford until 2031. By then, Mainoo may well stand among the finest midfielders in the world—and likely negotiating yet another improved contract to match his rise.
