- Manchester United face Liverpool
- Michael Owen compares Bruno Fernandes with Wayne Rooney
- Highlights Portuguese playmaker’s brilliance
Michael Owen has lavished huge praise on Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes by comparing him to club legend Wayne Rooney. The Portuguese playmaker is gearing up for his side’s massive encounter with Liverpool today (May 3).
Fernandes is enjoying his best season to date at United and he’s bagged eight goals and 19 assists in 31 games across competitions. He’s just one shy of the all-time assist record in a single league game campaign currently shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
The 31-year-old is leading the Red Devils towards a return to Champions League football next season. All they need is a point at Old Trafford today.
Owen: Fernandes is ‘Catching’ Rooney
Fernandes recently met up with Rooney and gave an interview to the club’s all-time top goalscorer. He claimed that he didn’t want to leave United last summer because of the difficult situation.
United fans are relieved their skipper stayed and Owen believes he is now having a similar influence to that of Rooney during the latter’s legendary spell at Old Trafford. He said on StarHub TV+:
“I think Bruno is catching him in terms of influence. He’s just an incredible player. Everything goes through him, his goals and assists. Even when Man United were playing poorly, he was still the shining light, and that isn’t easy to do.“
Owen alluded to Fernandes still performing well in a struggling United side which finished 15th last season:
“If everybody around you is struggling for confidence and results, to still be the shining light. It’s so much easier when everybody’s scoring, creating goals, to be the hero every week. But his performances were brilliant when they were playing poorly as well.”
Fernandes’ future remains a huge talking point as he’ll have a year left on his contract this summer. Owen added:
“Manchester United have got to do everything they can to keep him there.”
Fernandes joined United from Sporting CP in early 2020 for a reported £68m deal. He’s since won the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup but made clear that he still wants to win the Premier League and the Champions League.
A Bold Claim
While Owen’s comments have merit given Fernandes’ influence on this United team, it’s hard to compare it to that of Rooney’s during the latter stages of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign. The legendary striker stayed put following Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez’s departures.
Rooney became the talisman, much like Fernandes, firing United to the Premier League title. Two very contrasting situations but there’s no doubt that the Portuguese midfielder is the most important player in the post-Ferguson era.
