Former Premier League manager Alan Pardew has voiced his concerns regarding Bruno Fernandes’ goal-scoring drought at Manchester United this season.
Despite Fernandes’ reputation for creating scoring opportunities, with an average of 3.1 key passes per game in the Premier League according to SofaScore, the Portuguese midfielder has struggled to find the back of the net himself. With just three goals in 24 league appearances, Fernandes’ lack of end product has raised eyebrows.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Pardew remarked, “He is a strange player, isn’t he? Because he has this incredible stat – he creates more chances than anybody else in the Premier League, according to my stat man here, and yet, the end product this year hasn’t been there.”
While Fernandes maintains an average of 2.5 shots per game, he has missed five significant scoring opportunities and holds a goal-conversion rate of only 5%. Despite this, he has contributed seven assists across all competitions this season.
Manchester United’s struggles to find the back of the net, particularly from their captain, have contributed to their position as the team with the fewest goals among the top 12 sides in the league. Currently, sitting sixth in the standings, they trail fourth-placed Aston Villa by five points after 25 matches.
Their next challenge sees Erik ten Hag’s side facing Fulham at Old Trafford in the league on Saturday (February 24).
