£300k-a-week United man ranks in the top three of concerning Premier League ‘underperformers’ stat

Manchester United fans would likely be the first to admit that their talisman, Bruno Fernandes, is yet to make a positive impact on their dismal campaign.

Similarly, the skipper himself perhaps wouldn’t shy away from the fact, either, as he’s fully aware of the standards he can reach when at his world-class best.

Amidst what’s now made history as the club’s worst-ever Premier League start to date, Fernandes has been at the heart of Erik ten Hag’s floundering side week in, week out. His unprecedented fitness record means he plays the full 90 minutes in the majority of matches, which may well have contributed to his recent drop-off in performance levels.

The 30-year-old, who now earns a reported £300,000-a-week following his three-year contract extension in August, also spent the majority of his summer preparing for/taking part in the Euros. He started four of Portugal’s five matches, being rested for one dead-rubber group-stage tie, and featured for 74 minutes in their quarter-final defeat to France.

His fluctuating form has only added to the heap of concerns piling up at Old Trafford in recent weeks, especially given that he has often proven to be United’s most dependable figure – even in such turbulent times.

Struggling Fernandes faces a tedious wait to open his account for 24/25

WhoScored relayed a statistic on Wednesday which only further highlights Fernandes’ lack of clinicality, as he is amongst the top three of the league’s ‘biggest xG underperformers’ this term; only Dominic Solanke, -2.0xG, and Adama Traore, -2.2xG have a worse record than the United skipper’s 1.9xG.

The biggest xG 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗦 in the Premier League this season. 😤

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) October 9, 2024

Firing off 18 shots without finding the back of the net thus far, Fernandes risks extending his undesirable streak when the Red Devils host Brentford at Old Trafford on October 19.