Predictably, Manchester United didn’t experience a jubilant debut for new manager Ruben Amorim, as they failed to get the full three points on the road against relegation candidates Ipswich Town, drawing 1-1 with the English underdogs.
Manchester United’s new coach warned everyone before the match that it would take around three years in order for the Red Devils to get back on track, so you can’t fault him for not immediately winning with a squad that is indeed very, very far behind where it needs to be.
After the match, Amorim ripped Man United again, offering scathing critiques of the lack of quality and personality in the squad while doubling down on the fact that it will take a long time for the most valuable club in the Premier League to reach sporting levels equivalent with its economic power.
For the remainder of the 2024/25 Premier League season, no player will be more important in helping Amorim ease the inevitable suffering than the club’s most productive player on a yearly basis, fellow Sporting CP alum Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese international was one of the few bright spots in a lethargic display against Ipswich, creating a trio of chances while completing 92 percent of his passes, including five of seven long balls.
Fernandes even added a tackle and an interception defensively. Although he didn’t score or assist Man United’s lone goal in the second minute, he was, once again, one of the three best players on the pitch for an underwhelming side.
Just like last season, Fernandes is going to have to be the primary playmaker and a key leader for Amorim, who will have to lean on his compatriot even more for reasons beyond shared language and culture; he’s the new guy in town and has nothing to work with that’s a known commodity.
Think about it. Fernandes is the only attacking player at Manchester United who has proven, year after year, that he can produce in the Premier League. Marcus Rashford can do it sometimes and Rasmus Hojlund and the others have shown flashes, but that’s about it.
Fernandes is going to need to challenge himself when it comes to taking care of the ball better than he usually does and leading by example. He’s going to have to add goals with no true top striker in town. And he’ll need to be able to create chances with dribbling in addition to his passing.
Manchester United are very unlikely to be able to make a significant attacking upgrade this winter. Amorim is going to have to build his entire formation and system around the whims of Fernandes, who must reward him in kind.
Fernandes was an elite player in Liga NOS for Sporting, and he’s been a very good player, despite his flaws, at Old Trafford. Manchester United are going to need to see the best of Fernandes, and he has more to gain than anyone at the club under Amorim this season by sheer necessity; he’s the guy, even moreso than ever before.
