After recovering from the fastest two-goal deficit in Manchester United's Premier League history, Erik ten Hag highlighted the intangibles his team demonstrated in a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The Dutchman was at pains to praise his side's "spirit", "energy", "personality" and "character". All four vague qualities are emphatically embodied by the team's new permanent captain. However, Bruno Fernandes also delivers tangible results.
For the 12th time in his Premier League career, Fernandes not only scored but created a goal in the same game. Since his debut in the competition in February 2020, no other Premier League player can better Fernandes in this regard.
Bruno Fernandes' most devastating Premier League performances
Before the interval, Christian Eriksen halved the lead that Forest had established after just three minutes and 47 seconds. Shortly after the break, Fernandes befuddled the visiting backline with a slick set-piece routine.
After drilling a wide free kick across to Marcus Rashford, Fernandes scurried, unnoticed, into the area, nodding the ball down for Casemiro to equalise from point-blank range. Over the last 36 months, Fernandes has created more chances (overall and from open play) than any other Premier League player.
With 15 minutes of an exhilarating contest remaining, Rashford tumbled under minimum contact from Danilo to win a penalty. Dispensing with his customary hop, Fernandes picked out the bottom corner to fire United in front for the first time.
On the back of a desperately trying week for the club, with Fernandes' sulky display in defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday the least of their worries, Ten Hag lavished praise on his skipper.
"In all the aspects, he played a very good game at the highest level," Ten Hag gushed. "He was keeping calm, with the emotions under control. He was brilliant in the attacking [play] and made the difference. I am very happy with his performance."
Intriguingly, nine of the 12 Premier League appearances in which Fernandes got a goal and an assist occurred during his first year at the club. Prior to Saturday's showing against Forest, Fernandes' last integral display was 18 months earlier in a 4-2 victory over Leeds United.
Most Premier League appearances with at least one goal and one assist since February 2020
*Statistics correct as of 26 August 2023
Earlier this week, Manchester City's injured playmaker Kevin De Bruyne lauded Fernandes as "a creative machine". The Belgian isn't too shabby himself, matching Fernandes for 12 Premier League appearances with at least one goal and assist across the same time period.
Former Tottenham favourite Harry Kane and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah can also boast a dozen decisive contributions in England's top flight across the past two-and-a-half years.
Fernandes' new teammate, Mason Mount, has registered an impressive seven dual-threat displays but is yet to directly contribute to a goal since leaving Chelsea this summer.
Mount has not jelled with Fernandes, forming a desperately porous midfield in front of an overworked Casemiro. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fernandes' first standout display of the season came while Mount was sidelined through injury, giving United's skipper licence to entirely dictate his team's attack.
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This article was originally published on 90min as The stat that proves Bruno Fernandes is Man Utd's attacking talisman.
