Bruno Fernandes’ landmark 200th game for Manchester United against Chelsea underlined his influence on Ruben Amorim’s side.
Late in the 2-1 win at Old Trafford, he dispossessed Chelsea skipper Reece James, sprinted nearly half the length of the pitch, and forced a diving save from Filip Jorgensen. His reaction was immediate — turning to the Stretford End, shouting “Come on” three times with visible passion.
After being substituted for Kobbie Mainoo, the 31-year-old remained on edge, urging on his teammates from the bench as United held out for victory. Although he had already reached the milestone of his 100th goal for the club earlier in the match, it was these two moments that captured his relentless drive to see United succeed.
Amorim on leadership and influence
Following the match, Amorim was quick to highlight his captain’s impact. “He deserves all the praise,” the United manager said. “Sometimes he is not in the best spot to be the star of every game, but the captain’s role is to give everything for the team. He’s doing that.”
Amorim admitted Fernandes still has room to improve, but emphasised his value to the squad. Since his £47m transfer from Sporting in January 2020, Fernandes has sharpened United’s attack, though his temperament and positional discipline have often been questioned.
Yet, as Amorim pointed out, without Fernandes United would have been far worse off. His decision to resist a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia last summer proved crucial for a club still struggling with recruitment.
A role with risks, but no lack of commitment
This season, Amorim has asked Fernandes to operate from deeper midfield, theoretically giving him more control of play. However, it has also exposed defensive shortcomings, such as in Emile Smith Rowe’s equaliser for Fulham and Phil Foden’s opener in the Manchester derby.
Despite those setbacks, Fernandes’ emotional display at full-time showed no signs of detachment. “I’m very proud of those two massive milestones,” he said afterwards. “But it’s not something I was chasing. I just wanted to play the next match.”
United have a chance to record back-to-back league victories under Amorim when they face Brentford next weekend. So far, his spell has seen only two occasions where the team won two of three matches, leaving Fernandes’ tally of one FA Cup, one League Cup, and a second-place finish in the Premier League feeling like a modest return.
Still, Amorim was clear about the bigger picture: “That guy deserves to be in the history of our club, not just for what he does but for what his team conquers.”
