Bruno Fernandes: Man Utd captain has gone 12 games without a goal as club's finishing problems prove costly
Bruno Fernandes is in the worst goal drought of his Manchester United career but he is not Erik ten Hag's only player struggling in the final third - we explore the stats; watch Man Utd vs Tottenham live on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday from 4pm; kick-off 4.30pm.
Sunday 29 September 2024 16:46, UK
When Bruno Fernandes whacked in a stunning strike with his weaker left foot from 25 yards and slid on his knees in front of the Stretford End in celebration of clinching a comeback win over Sheffield United last April, he had racked up seven goals in his last five games for Manchester United.
Twelve matches on, he is still waiting for another one.
Fernandes' most prolific spell of his Man Utd career has been followed by his longest drought.
His failure to break the streak has not been through a want of trying. Just ask any Manchester United fan who has agonised at Fernandes' speculative and sometimes desperate attempts to find the net. (There were two shots against Southampton recently which were each given barely more than a one per cent chance of going in by Opta.)
He has had 30 shots without success during the past dozen matches.
Trending
- Ederson, Walker and De Bruyne dropped for Man City vs Aston Villa LIVE!
- What time are Usyk and Fury in the ring?
- PL Predictions: More dropped points for Arsenal at Palace?
- Final Usyk-Fury judge confirmed after coin toss settles rival camps' dispute
- Usyk vs Fury 2 - Who wins? Big fight predictions
- Transfer Centre LIVE! Dele says goodbye to Everton - Como next?
- Papers: Man Utd considering Rashford loan exit in January
- World Darts Championship schedule: Littler, Barney headline Super Saturday
- Ipswich vs Newcastle preview: Howe looking to build on 'good feeling'
- Man Utd latest: 'Devastated' Mount out for several weeks
His total of 17 attempts in the Premier League this season is the highest of any player yet to score in Europe's major divisions.
Fernandes has not even hit the target in his past four Premier League games, although he did go close against Crystal Palace, bouncing a shot up off the ground and onto the frame of the goal.
A slash wide of a post in the second half of that match at Selhurst Park was the third big chance he has missed this season, adding to the two he spurned from one-vs-one chances on the opening night of the campaign at home to Fulham.
Unfortunately for United boss Erik ten Hag, this is not just an issue isolated to his captain.
Man Utd rank third for expected goals this season in the Premier League, with a total of 9.10. The quality of openings they are carving out is impressively high. But they have missed more big chances than any side in the division, spurning 17 out of 19 clear-cut opportunities. Only relegation-threatened Southampton have a worse conversion rate.
It leaves them with just five goals to their name, almost half as many as they would be expected to have scored from the chances they have created.
Joshua Zirkzee - who has missed all four of his own big chances, although he does have one goal to his name - joins Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho among the top six players in the league with the worst xG performance this term.
With just two wins from their first five Premier League games, Ten Hag can rightly look to the 2-1 defeat at Brighton and 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace as results which could easily have been improved with sharper finishing from his players.
With United down in 11th in the early Premier League table, already four points off the top four, ground has been lost.
Live Super Sunday
The hope will be Rasmus Hojlund's return to full fitness will help. And Marcus Rashford has shown signs of getting back towards dangerous form.
But the frustration for Fernandes goes on. Can the Portuguese finally find Stretford End salvation against Spurs on Sunday?
