Fernandes in demand after first double-digit FPL haul

Manchester United 3-0 Watford

• Goals: Bruno Fernandes (£8.2m), Anthony Martial (£8.0m), Mason Greenwood (£4.3m)
• Assists: Fernandes
• Bonus: Fernandes x3, Greenwood x2, Luke Shaw (£5.4m) x1

The stock of Bruno Fernandes (£8.2m) is on the rise after the Portuguese midfielder delivered his first double-digit FPL haul in Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Watford on Sunday.

The January signing from Sporting Lisbon had risen in price once last week and has already done so again ahead of Blank Gameweek 28, with his number of ‘transfers in’ comfortably passing the 100,000-mark in just 48 hours.

Fernandes arrived in the UK with a reputation for both scoring and creating goals but there was always the possibility that he would take a little time to adapt to his new surroundings and adjust to the tempo of the Premier League.

We needn’t have worried, it seems.

The Portugal international opened his United account from 12 yards on Sunday, coolly slotting his spot-kick past Ben Foster (£4.9m) having been brought down by the Watford goalkeeper for the penalty award.

Fernandes was also the creator of Mason Greenwood‘s (£4.3m) second-half goal and would have claimed the assist for Anthony Martial‘s (£8.0m) 57th-minute strike had the Frenchman finished at the first attempt and not needed two bites at the cherry.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was effusive in his praise after the match, saying:

He’s come in and done really well. He’s given everyone a boost. It means more than just getting a player in. You can see the supporters, they’re used to players with that personality, mentality and quality so he’s been a big plus.

He’s come in from day one, the first minute, and felt like a presence in the group. First training session, demanding the ball. Some players take some time in warming up but he felt confident straight away.

He’s a bit of a mix between (Paul) Scholes and (Juan Sebastian) Veron, to be fair. He’s got the temperament maybe of Veron and a lot of the quality of him and Scholesy.

Fernandes was again deployed in the number ten role behind Martial, roaming about the pitch and gravitating towards the left flank, but Solskjaer highlighted his ability to play in other positions, saying:

He’s a box-to-box midfielder, he can do everything a midfielder can. Some games he’ll play in a two, some games he’ll play attacking midfielder, some games he’ll be a 10. He’s played every position in midfield.

It remains to be seen what the penalty-taking pecking order at United is when the likes of Paul Pogba (£8.3m) and Marcus Rashford (£8.9m) are back to full fitness but, given the struggles of those two players from the spot and Fernandes’ fine record from 12 yards (21 from 23 penalties scored), the Portuguese midfielder surely stands a good chance of being first in line.

Having already asserted his dominance at other set-piece situations, regular penalty-taking duties would only further enhance his Fantasy appeal.

Solskjaer said:

He has been known for his set plays. He has practised quite a few penalties and I wasn’t in doubt that he would score.

There are the cautionary tales of Angel di Maria and Juan Sebastian Veron to acknowledge, with both big-money signings making positive starts at Old Trafford before falling away.

There also has to be an appreciation of the limitations of Fernandes’ goal threat (his xG from open play since his Gameweek 25 debut is only 0.24), although there was another very decent opportunity for the Portugal international to double his tally on the stroke of half-time when he was teed up by Martial.

Party-pooping aside, there is little doubt that Fernandes freshens up the mid-price/premium midfield bracket when other options are perhaps going stale.

Then there is also the benefit he brings to other United options, particularly Martial.

The France international’s movement and attitude can be questionable at times but he seems to have developed a nice understanding with his new teammate, with Fernandes supplying the initial through-ball for Martial’s goal.

A @ManUtd match made in heaven?

As long as Anthony Martial holds up his end of the deal, of course 😉#FPL pic.twitter.com/8qjQxeyvIG

— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) February 23, 2020

Martial’s beautifully taken dinked goal was a reminder of what he is capable of on his day, with Solskjaer saying of his number nine:

He’s so skilful, is Anthony. I thought he’d ran offside, but the timing from Bruno’s pass was perfect and the skill there is just incredible. He does that in training, so you’re not that surprised. I’m delighted with the week Anthony has had. He has his critics – I’m probably the biggest. He scored a great header against Chelsea, did everything to score against Brugge and today was more classic Anthony. But I want more from him.

Elsewhere, Greenwood made his first league start of 2020 on the right flank and scored his fifth goal of the campaign, although the ongoing rotation risk and the plethora of nailed, budget/mid-price alternatives elsewhere in FPL continues to limit his appeal and indeed led to an overnight price drop.

Another budget United asset, Brandon Williams (£4.1m), may also struggle for regular game-time, with Luke Shaw (£5.4m) having turned in a fine display at left-back.

Solskjaer’s occasional use of a wing-back system allows both options to play in the same side but, in a back four, the more senior Shaw does seem set to start more often than not.

The United boss said of the England international:

Luke did fantastic, Luke’s performance today was absolutely top.

I think Luke has been excellent when he has played in that position (left centre-back). He has got more options outside and inside. I think that line sometimes closes him off and he goes back too often as a full-back.

Today as well; the two or three, four times when he surges forward he is unstoppable and he should do that more. I keep encouraging them to do more of what they’re good at and when they listen we’ll be a good team.

Shaw had bailed United’s defence out early on after some sloppy play from his teammates and Watford briefly threatened to cause United some issues, with Abdoulaye Doucoure (£5.7m) firing into the side netting in the 12th minute.

Bar a disallowed Troy Deeney (£6.2m) goal – the VAR spotting a handball from Craig Dawson (£4.8m) in the build-up – United’s goal was seldom threatened after their visitors’ bright start and the Red Devils went on to bank their fifth clean sheet in eight Gameweeks, a total that only Liverpool can beat over the same period.

It was never going to be completely plain sailing for Nigel Pearson at Watford but the wheels have slightly come off over the last month, with the Hornets picking up only two points from their last five matches.

Nine goals conceded in four games is a worry from a defensive perspective (especially with Liverpool up next), while there was little of the attacking swagger we saw from Deeney and co over Christmas and New Year, with Pearson’s troops mustering only two shots on target on Sunday – one of which came from 30 yards out.

The return of Ismaila Sarr (£6.2m) could be important, however, given how crucial he had been to the Hornets’ renaissance.

Sarr emerged as a late substitute at Old Trafford, with Pearson saying:

Nowhere near, he wasn’t close [to starting]. Likewise Kiko [Femenia]. Sarr was always somebody we felt maybe would be able to give us 20 minutes in the game.

I think he did OK. Hopefully some exposure today will give him the confidence to go out and play next week if he has a good week of training.

Pearson said of the match overall:

It’s a frustrating day in the sense that, when you play the bigger clubs, it’s very important that when you create chances or have opportunities, you do everything you can to take them.

We didn’t take the chances we had early in the game. I think our attempts to press them high up the pitch caused them a few problems in terms of frustrating them at times.

It’s a difficult one to reflect on until I see it again in its entirety. I know we’ve been a little bit wasteful when we’ve had chances, I know we’ve been countered too often ourselves during the game.

Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Matic, Fred (McTominay 78′); Greenwood (Chong 78′), Fernandes, James; Martial (Ighalo 78′).

Watford XI (4-2-3-1): Foster; Dawson, Kabasele, Cathcart, Masina; Hughes, Capoue; Pereyra (Sarr 68′), Doucoure, Deulofeu; Deeney (Welbeck 75′).

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