Bruno Fernandes has long been a bright light at Manchester United, often saving the day under Ruben Amorim.
The Red Devils may have finished 15th last season, but that didn’t stop the Portugal international from finishing the 2024/25 season with a total of 37 goals and assists.
But some of the responsibility has fallen off his shoulders after splurging £200m over the recent summer, as seen in the goals scored by Matheus Cunha and Brian Mbeumo against Brighton.
As a result, the 31-year-old fell into a slightly deeper midfield position and was only able to register two goals and one assist in the first nine Premier League games of the 2025-26 season.
Amorim may be using the club’s captain in such a role to bridge the gap with players who retired prematurely during the previous management’s tenure.
Manchester United’s McTominay sale fiasco
To counter the high spending of recent years, United’s leadership has had to take a number of players off the books to prevent financial problems.
Midfielder Scott McTominay was among those sacrificed by the board, with the Scotland international set to move to Napoli in the summer of 2024 in a £25m deal.
Such a deal was considered great business at the time, and the midfielder often received considerable criticism from supporters for his performances at Old Trafford.
However, he took his career to the next level at Napoli, developing under manager Antonio Conte in the 2024/25 season as the Italian team won the Serie A title.
The 28-year-old scored 12 goals and provided four assists in Italy’s top flight, going on to win the division MVP award and also be nominated for the Ballon d’Or.
The former Red Devil has continued his incredible form this season, scoring a sensational goal against Inter Milan on Saturday to secure all three points for the club.
His £25m move now looks like a big mistake, but Amorim need not worry as he is already on the cusp of finding the next version of the Scottish player.
United star on track to become the next McTominay
Bruno has primarily filled the role vacated by McTominay, but a number of other talented individuals have also shared responsibilities at the core of the United side.
Manuel Ugarte joined from PSG in a £50m move last summer and is seen by senior management as the perfect player to fill the void left by the departed academy star.
However, the Uruguayan subsequently fell far short of the expectations of his fan base, with Amorim only starting two of nine Premier League games in the 2025/26 season.
Coby Mainu was a mainstay in the first team until the 40-year-old arrived last year, but like Ugarte, he found it extremely difficult to secure playing time in the starting eleven.
The Englishman has not started a single game in England’s top flight this season, playing just 138 minutes off the bench in total.
The lack of impact from the aforementioned duo was largely due to Casemiro’s performance, and to the surprise of many, the Brazil international secured a starting spot.
He has been picked by many over the years and infamously said Jamie Carragher needed to move to Saudi Arabia because he had “stepped away from football”.
The situation is similar to that of McTominay, with the former United star taking his career to unimaginable heights after his move from Manchester.
However, Casemiro has managed to turn his Red Devils career around in recent months, silencing many doubters in the process.
The ‘world class’ star, described by Gus Poyet, has started seven Premier League games this year and has scored two goals and provided one assist in his most recent appearances.
His recent performance against Brighton was probably his best of the 2025/26 season, scoring once and contributing to compatriot Cunha’s goal for the Red Devils.
Casemiro – Statistics against Brighton | |
|---|---|
statistics | tally |
Play time (minutes) | 70 |
touch | 48 |
pass completed | twenty five |
advance to the final third | 7 |
The tackle I made | 3 |
clearance | 1 |
Number of intercepts | 2 |
collect | 5 |
Statistics by FotMob | |
Casemiro’s basic stats further show how impressive he was against the Seagulls, with the 33-year-old having a huge impact on both ends of the football field.
His three tackles and five recoveries highlight his importance without the ball and is perhaps the perfect all-round option in the center of the team, allowing Bruno to express himself in the attacking area.
This turnaround in form is a credit to the experienced midfielder, whose recent appearances have made him one of the club’s most important players at the moment.
The partnership with Bruno has enabled Amorim to keep his job and could reach new heights during his tenure following his recent impressive results.