WHERE would Manchester United be without Bruno Fernandes (£6.2m)?
The Red Devils are languishing in 15th having mustered just 30 points from 26 games in the Premier League this season and yet their club captain is now Dream Team’s best-performing midfielder.
Dream Team’s new midfield king[/caption]
A 16-point haul at Goodison Park meant Fernandes leapfrogged Cole Palmer (£5.8m) to go third in the rankings overall at the weekend, behind superstar forwards Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) and Erling Haaland (£8.1m).
It seemed as if Ruben Amorim’s side were going to suffer their third consecutive defeat in the top flight when they went 2-0 down to Everton after 33 minutes.
However, the Portuguese playmaker inspired the visitors to a second-half comeback with a sweetly struck free-kick, followed eight minutes later by Manuel Ugarte’s (£3m) equaliser.
One could reflect upon Man United’s weaknesses for hours on end but Dream Team managers should focus on Fernandes’ impressive returns when weighing up his viability.
He is statistically the most in-form midfielder in the game right now having banked 34 points in his last three outings.
Manchester United are ultra reliant on their skipper[/caption]
Fernandes has scored ten goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions this season but that tally only tells half the story.
The 30-year-old is primarily an attack-minded midfielder but only seven players in his position have made more tackles, most of them being combative ball-winners who contribute few goal involvements.
He also ranks ninth in his position for shots on target and third for big chances created.
Factor in 27 bonus points, seven of which have come in his last three outings, and it’s no wonder Fernandes has worked his way up to the top of the midfield rankings.
Granted, he has played ten games more than Palmer and seven more than third-placed Bryan Mbeumo (£4.7m) but the fact he takes on such a high workload is what makes him such an appealing Dream Team asset.
From Amorim’s point of view, his over reliance on Fernandes is a huge concern but it’s a helpful factor for Dream Team bosses as it ensures minutes on the pitch.
Amorim has plenty of problems to solve but Fernandes continues to supply points[/caption]
Gameweek 25 is only half complete as there’s a full round of Premier League fixtures to come in midweek, with Man United set to host 18th-placed Ipswich on Wednesday night.
Looking further ahead, Fernandes might be among a tiny minority of players who plays twice in Gameweek 26.
Man United and Aston Villa are the only two teams set to pull double duty on account of them still being active in the FA Cup and their respective European competitions.
The former are due to face Fulham and Real Sociedad in quick succession – can Amorim really afford to go without Fernandes in either fixture given the current situation at Old Trafford?
Fernandes looks to be a smart option for Gameweek 26[/caption]
It’s early days but Fernandes, who features in 19.6% of teams, is currently the most popular recruit ahead of the Gameweek 26 deadline.
Another bumper haul against the Tractor Boys will only boost his popularity further.
