Another international break looms, with Manchester United perhaps coming to a crucial juncture in the Ruben Amorim regime, as the Old Trafford hierarchy plot whether to stick or twist with their under-fire manager.
The boom or bust cycle of recent times would suggest that a win at home to Sunderland on Saturday would instantly lift the mood and quash the doubters, although Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co may need to look at the bigger picture.
Indeed, the manager with the worst win percentage of any permanent United boss since the Second World War is hanging on by the skin of his teeth, having won just nine Premier League games from his 35 outings in charge.
A victory over a newly-promoted side – much like with the 3-2 triumph over Burnley before the September break – should not be seen as a deciding factor in INEOS’ decision. They must either back Amorim to the hilt, or make the change before the damage is done.
The Portuguese coach, for what it’s worth, hasn’t exactly been aided by the woes of his struggling side, with discussion over his much-maligned 3-4-3 system perhaps masking the repeated individual errors that he is being forced to witness.
From Altay Bayindir in the sticks, to his previously reliable skipper, Bruno Fernandes, Amorim is not getting the help he needs. Something has to change…
Bruno Fernandes' start to the season in numbers
There is a very familiar feel to the start of the new campaign, with Erik ten Hag having been shown the door in late October 2024, with United left languishing in 14th in the table.
That dismal start to the season came amid the struggles of Fernandes to get firing, with the former Sporting CP playmaker – who had signed a new contract that summer after turning down an offer from abroad – looking distinctly off the pace in those early weeks.
Indeed, the midfielder was dismissed against both Tottenham Hotspur and Porto, while his first goal of the season didn’t arrive until Ten Hag had already been replaced, with four coming in just four games under interim boss, Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Even under Amorim, it appeared to take the start of a new year, and a red card away at Wolves, for Fernandes to truly be revived, with his January display against Liverpool helping to kickstart a season that would end with 38 goals and assists in all competitions.
Amorim had barely acknowledged his compatriot as he trudged off following that needless dismissal at Molinuex, with perhaps that moment helping to fuel Fernandes from then on. He may well need to do something similar now.
The time might have come for the under-pressure United boss to take his captain out of the firing line, with Fernandes already missing two penalties this season, while failing to thrive as part of the midfield duo.
Yes goals have come against both Burnley and ten-man Chelsea, although the 31-year-old was notably culpable for failing to track Phil Foden at the Etihad, having also failed to register an assist while creating just one ‘big chance’ in the league to date, as per Sofascore.
Games
6
Goals
2
Assists
0
Big chances created
1
Key passes*
2.7
Pass accuracy*
82%
Total duels won*
55%
Balls recovered*
6.5
Possession lost*
17.3
While United and Fernandes rightly shunned Saudi interest in him this summer, there remains an intrigue over what this side could look like without him. Why not test it against the Black Cats?
How Man Utd can replace Fernandes
Dropping his key man to the bench may seem like a drastic take, although if Amorim is to remain wedded to his current set-up, then trialling different personnel within it could be a worthwhile venture.
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With Saturday marking the first time that Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have started alongside each other, that trio needs time to gel and flourish. Plunging Fernandes back into a number ten role would only disrupt things.
The obvious replacement for Fernandes in a deeper midfield berth would undoubtedly be young Kobbie Mainoo, albeit with question marks still surrounding whether he has the physical capabilities to flourish in that role.
It was also Mainoo’s errant pass late on which sparked Brentford’s counter to clinch a 3-1 victory, with the 20-year-old seemingly yet to truly win over his new boss, despite bursting onto the scene under his predecessor.
With Casemiro likely to return in place of the hapless Manuel Ugarte, Fernandes’ role could be taken up by Mason Mount, with the injury-hit Englishman having featured off the bench across the last two league games.
While his repeated setbacks have made him somewhat unreliable, the ex-Chelsea man looked lively in the first three top-flight games of the campaign, having started as part of the front three alongside Cunha and Mbeumo.
The lack of an end product – with just four goals and two assists to his name for United to date – perhaps ensures Mount can’t justify occupying one of those number ten berths, with a move to a midfield role worth experimenting with.
Described as a “pressing monster” by Statman Dave, the 26-year-old has the ability and work rate to cover ground, notably ranking in the top 5% of attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles made per 90, as per FBref.
It hasn’t been seen enough in a United shirt, although the Champions League winner is a quality asset at his best, having even been described as being “like Paul Scholes” by Roy Keane during his Chelsea pomp.
Amorim has repeatedly dished out praise for a player he described as a “proper footballer”, and with the engine room currently struggling, Mount could well be just the solution.
At such a desperate time, there really is nothing to lose from trialling the 36-cap England international in a fresh role – as long as it’s not at left wing-back, that is…