AMID all the chaos at Manchester United, their choice of penalty taker has been a calming and reassuring constant.
Bruno Fernandes has one of the best spot-kick records in the Premier League, regularly digging the Red Devils out of trouble from 12 yards since he arrived at Old Trafford in January 2020.
Yet following his woeful miss at Fulham on Sunday that cost United three points, is it time for boss Ruben Amorim to consider the unthinkable and shake things up, especially with new-boys Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha waiting in the wings?
Portuguese midfielder Fernandes has now scored 22 of his 27 penalties for United in the Prem – an 81.5 per cent success rate. Not too shabby.
He is in good company. Liverpool’s Mo Salah has an 85 per cent success rate with 34 goals in 40 attempts. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has an 89 per cent success rate with 17 from 19.
In the United history books, Fernandes has bettered Wayne Rooney [71 per cent with 20 from 28], while Ruud van Nistelrooy scored 18 from 22 for an 82 per cent success rate.
And in his total career to date, including his spells at Udinese and Sporting Lisbon, Fernandes has scored 35 penalties from 41 attempts for an overall 85.4 per cent.
But that horrific miss at Craven Cottage – blazed over the bar after admitting he was “triggered” by ref Chris Kavanagh bumping into him during his run-up – leaves a bitter taste.
That’s because standing on the pitch at the time were two takers with just as impressive stats from the penalty spot.
Mbeumo – signed from Brentford this summer for £71m – netted 10 of his 11 attempts for the Bees for a success rate of 90.9 per cent.
Another new arrival in Cunha – signed for £62.5m – has a smaller case study, scoring his only Prem penalty for Wolves while two from three at Hertha Berlin, giving him a career success rate of 75 per cent.
Over £130m of attacking talent surely cannot go to waste in the biggest of moments, particularly where penalties are concerned.
There will be no panic from Amorim, seeing as Fernandes’ last Prem miss from the spot was TWENTY months ago in December 2023.
The United skipper will no doubt take on the responsibility again when the next opportunity arrives, but perhaps easing the burden from his shoulders and sharing it around could be good for him in the long run.
And for the first time in a long time, United have options in that regard – ones who know what it takes to convert under pressure.
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