Manchester United have struggled for form so far this season and Owen Hargreaves has urged Ruben Amorim to make a change to get the best out of Bruno Fernandes
Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has called on Ruben Amorim to shake things up to get the best from captain Bruno Fernandes. The Red Devils spent big during the summer transfer window to strengthen their attack after managing a measly 44 goals in the Premier League last season.
United snapped up forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo before landing striker Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig. However, their summer spending spree has seen Fernandes pushed into a deeper role on the field this campaign.
The Portuguese star is widely considered United’s finest acquisition during a barren spell since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013. Yet he has struggled to make his mark in 2024/25 whilst operating in a more withdrawn midfield role under Amorim.
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The Red Devils have experimented with various combinations of Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo alongside Fernandes, but the setup hasn’t clicked. Hargreaves has voiced worries about how United’s captain is being utilised during what has been a testing season at Old Trafford, with the club languishing in 14th place in the Premier League standings.
“They decided to get goals and sign proven Premier League players in Cunha and Mbeumo, which I like,” he told TNT Sports.
“But now Bruno has to play deeper to get on the ball and create. He’s not playing his natural position, he’s playing deeper.
“He’s playing as a box-to-box midfielder. Bruno’s one of the best creators in the division. So you’ve got to play him in his natural position.
“But because they play two 10s, you could argue Man Utd’s two best players last season were Amad and Bruno. They were the two 10s, and then they went and signed two more 10s in Cunha and Mbeumo when you didn’t have a keeper or a striker.”
Hargreaves has also called on Amorim to think about dropping Sesko and making a minor adjustment to get Fernandes into more attacking positions.
“I’d love to see Bruno play as a 10, maybe with Mbeumo as a No. 9,” he continued. ‘If you have Cunha and Bruno playing as two 10s plus Mbeumo, that’s good.
“Maybe play Amad as a wing-back on the left if you want to stay with the formation. I just think it’s harsh on Bruno, him being criticised. I can’t imagine where they’d be without him. I said that to him last year, towards the end of the season before the Europa League final.
“What he’s been able to produce in terms of consistency for them, that’s what you need from everybody.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
