Man Utd may regret losing “magic” PL star who’s now outperforming Fernandes

To say it has been a wild season for Manchester United this 12 months could be a colossal understatement.

Regardless of being simply 12 video games into the Premier League season, the Crimson Devils are already onto their third supervisor, with Erik ten Hag being sacked final month, Ruud van Nistelrooy stepping in to regular the ship, and now Ruben Amorim, who’s right here to guide the membership forwards.

Whereas the Portuguese supervisor’s first sport accountable for the membership did not precisely go to plan, there may be an simple sense of optimism round his appointment that he might be the person to lastly take United again to the highest of English and European soccer.

He is definitely obtained his work reduce out, however he additionally has a plethora of extraordinarily proficient gamers at his disposal, together with membership captain Bruno Fernandes, though he is at present being outperformed within the Premier League by a former academy gem who left the membership in 2014.

Fernandes’ season to date

So, very similar to the crew as an entire, it could be correct to explain Fernandes’ league marketing campaign as a bit up and down to date.

For instance, beneath Ten Hag, the previous Sporting CP star put in arguably a few of his worst performances thus far in a United shirt, and produced simply two assists in 9 league appearances whereas additionally selecting up a pink card in opposition to Tottenham Hotspur in an embarrassing 3-0 loss at Previous Trafford.

Nonetheless, for the reason that Dutchman’s sacking, issues have began to enhance, and in his final three video games alone, the 30-year-old midfielder has scored twice and offered one help, on prime of simply trying usually extra harmful as properly.

Sadly, he could not produce a aim involvement in Amorim’s first sport, however issues are beginning to look higher for the Maia-born ace, despite the fact that a former United academy gem is outperforming him within the league.

The previous academy gem outperforming Bruno

So, to chop straight to the purpose, the previous academy gem in query is Everton star Dwight McNeil, who’s been having fun with a stellar Premier League marketing campaign this 12 months.

The 25-year-old was part of the Crimson Devils youth set-up for a number of years earlier than being launched in 2014 at simply 14 years previous, and whereas that may have been the top for some, the Rochdale-born ace later described it as “character-building.”

He’d go on to affix Burnley, the place he scored seven targets and offered 17 assists in 147 appearances earlier than incomes a £20m transfer to Everton in 2022.

Life on Merseyside hasn’t essentially been simple for the previous Crimson Satan, as seasons of battling relegation have absolutely taken their toll. But, to date this 12 months, the dynamic midfielder has appeared unburdened by the stress of survival and is doubtlessly taking part in his finest soccer ever.

For instance, in simply 11 league appearances, the “magic” maestro, as dubbed by soccer journalist Joe Thomas, has scored three targets and offered three assists, which means he is already beating Fernandes’ output by one aim.

Nonetheless, that is not the place his superiority over the Portuguese ace ends this season, as in accordance with FBref, he additionally has him beat for shot-creating actions, key passes, passes into the penalty space, goal-creating actions and take-ons, all per 90.

Now, with all of that mentioned, in the event you had been to ask followers who they’d desire to have of their groups, the bulk would probably say Fernandes, and for good causes.

Nonetheless, for this season at the very least, McNeil is comfortably outperforming the previous Sporting CP star, and whereas it may not stay that method for the complete marketing campaign, we would definitely have an interest to see how he’d get on in a extra harmful crew, like United.