To say it has been a wild season for Manchester United this yr could be a colossal understatement.
Regardless of being just 12 games into the Premier League season, the Crimson Devils are already onto their third supervisor, with Erik ten Hag being sacked final month, Ruud van Nistelrooy stepping in to regular the ship, and now Ruben Amorim, who’s right here to guide the membership forwards.
Whereas the Portuguese supervisor’s first sport in control of the membership did not precisely go to plan, there’s an simple sense of optimism round his appointment that he could be the person to lastly take United again to the highest of English and European soccer.
He is actually acquired his work reduce out, however he additionally has a plethora of extraordinarily proficient gamers at his disposal, together with membership captain Bruno Fernandes, though he is presently being outperformed within the Premier League by a former academy gem who left the membership in 2014.
Fernandes’ season thus far
So, very like the staff as an entire, it will be correct to explain Fernandes’ league marketing campaign as a bit up and down thus far.
For instance, beneath Ten Hag, the previous Sporting CP star put in arguably a few of his worst performances thus far in a United shirt, and produced just two assists in nine league appearances whereas additionally selecting up a purple card towards Tottenham Hotspur in an embarrassing 3-0 loss at Previous Trafford.
Nevertheless, for the reason that Dutchman’s sacking, issues have began to enhance, and in his final three video games alone, the 30-year-old midfielder has scored twice and supplied one help, on prime of simply wanting typically extra harmful as properly.
Sadly, he could not produce a aim involvement in Amorim’s first sport, however issues are beginning to look higher for the Maia-born ace, although a former United academy gem is outperforming him within the league.
The previous academy gem outperforming Bruno
So, to chop straight to the purpose, the previous academy gem in query is Everton star Dwight McNeil, who’s been having fun with a stellar Premier League marketing campaign this yr.
The 25-year-old was part of the Crimson Devils youth set-up for several years before being released in 2014 at simply 14 years previous, and whereas that will have been the tip for some, the Rochdale-born ace later described it as “character-building.”
He’d go on to hitch Burnley, the place he scored seven goals and provided 17 assists in 147 appearances earlier than earning a £20m move to Everton in 2022.
McNeil’s senior profession |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Competitors |
PL |
FA Cup |
EFL Cup |
UEL Qaulifying |
Appearances |
216 |
9 |
13 |
2 |
Targets |
20 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Assists |
29 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Objective Involvements* |
0.22 |
0.00 |
0.15 |
0.00 |
All Stats via Transfermarkt (*Per Match) |
Life on Merseyside hasn’t essentially been simple for the previous Crimson Satan, as seasons of battling relegation have absolutely taken their toll. But, thus far this yr, the dynamic midfielder has seemed unburdened by the strain of survival and is probably taking part in his greatest soccer ever.
For instance, in simply 11 league appearances, the “magic” maestro, as dubbed by football journalist Joe Thomas, has scored three goals and provided three assists, that means he is already beating Fernandes’ output by one aim.
Nevertheless, that is not the place his superiority over the Portuguese ace ends this season, as according to FBref, he additionally has him beat for shot-creating actions, key passes, passes into the penalty space, goal-creating actions and take-ons, all per 90.
Now, with all of that stated, in the event you have been to ask followers who they’d favor to have of their groups, the bulk would probably say Fernandes, and for good causes.
Nevertheless, for this season a minimum of, McNeil is comfortably outperforming the previous Sporting CP star, and whereas it may not stay that approach for your entire marketing campaign, we might actually have an interest to see how he’d get on in a extra harmful staff, like United.
Associated
Ten Hag’s Man Utd flop is now outscoring Zirkzee & Hojlund after leaving
The previous Manchester United participant has recaptured his type away from Previous Trafford.