Fernandes and the future at Manchester United
With Manchester United already guaranteed a Champions League spot and Nottingham Forest having avoided relegation, Sunday’s match at Old Trafford had little riding on it, except if your name is Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese midfielder bulldozed around the pitch like a man possessed, not necessarily even for a United victory or to score any goals himself, but to set as many up as he could.
Coming into the game one behind Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry’s jointly-held Premier League assist record of 20, Fernandes spent most of the match, especially the second half, laying on passes for his team-mates in the final third.
There were times he was better off shooting at goal himself, but chose to pass instead, while one of the moments of the match was when he dropped to his knees after Bryan Mbeumo spurned a great chance he’d laid on. Fernandes’ grin immediately afterwards suggested he was relishing his unique personal quest.
In total, he played eight key passes, created two ‘big’ chances in Opta speak and, yes, provided one assist to draw level with the record.
It was a virtuoso performance from the Premier League’s best player of 2025-26 and you could see how much it meant to him and his team-mates when Mbeumo did score from his pass, with most going to Fernandes to celebrate, including goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Things look pretty swell for Fernandes, United and Michael Carrick right now after a stellar few months. The Premier League table since Carrick took charge in January has United top of the pile.
Yes, they’ve had the advantage of no other competitions to play in, but in terms of results and performances, particularly given the shambles Carrick inherited, you can’t fault anything he’s done so far.
Where you would be slightly concerned for him, and the club going forward, is what happens next, because above management level United have got more things wrong than right in the INEOS era.
The fact United were even contemplating the potential sale of Fernandes to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal last summer speaks volumes about the thought processes that go on at senior management level.
Fernandes has been United’s best player for some time and the contribution he has made in 2025-26, with those 20 assists and creating 95 chances from open play (no other Premier League player has created even 60) show that near-decision to be utterly ludicrous.
“From the club I felt it was; ‘If you go it’s not so bad for us’,” Fernandes said in December.
“More than hurting me, it makes me sad. I could have left in this transfer window, I would have earned much more money.
“I would have won many trophies this season, but I decided not to go, not only for family reasons but because I genuinely love the club.”
Where would United be without Fernandes this season? Perhaps others would have stepped up, but it’s no exaggeration to suggest they’d have struggled to reach the Champions League positions.
Given United’s record of previous managerial appointments, odd recruitment decisions, selling Scott McTominay and almost selling or at least loaning Kobbie Mainoo (who is now the centrepiece of their future again with a five-year contract), any faith that the club will continue this progress next season should be tempered with a dose of realism.
Alonso’s new players need a lift
Saturday’s FA Cup final was clear proof, if needed, of the job Alonso has on his hands at Chelsea.
Chelsea weren’t expected to beat Manchester City. In a one-off final, anything can happen, as City fans know all too well from their previous two against Crystal Palace and Manchester United, both of which they were favourites to win, and not least from the 2021 Champions League final when the Blues caused a big upset against Pep Guardiola’s side in Porto.
But on this occasion, given their wretched form of three wins in 12 (all in the cup, against Port Vale, Wrexham and Leeds United), plus, you know, it was Guardiola versus Calum McFarlane, it never seemed like it would result in anything other than a City victory.
However, while this was a pretty interesting final, City coasted towards a 1-0 win that had you questioning just how much Chelsea wanted it.
It’s not an easy task breaking City down, but did Chelsea strain every sinew to try and force an equaliser? Did they unquestionably try everything they could to win? Did James Trafford even have to make any meaningful late saves? There was certainly no kitchen sink thrown in the last 10 minutes. Not even the washing-up bowl.
You didn’t even really get the impression — and this is hard to judge from body language alone, but we’ve all seen cup finals before — that they were massively devastated at full-time.
Perhaps that’s a harsh assessment, perhaps not, but what is unequivocal is that Chelsea are a team completely cast adrift, rudderless and leaderless.
It’s a ridiculously young squad, with only two outfield players older than 26 (Tosin Adarabioyo is their senior veteran, aged 28) and they haven’t had an experienced manager to guide the group since Mauricio Pochettino left in 2024. (Enzo Maresca wasn’t particularly young, but he’d only been a first-team manager for one season when he moved to Stamford Bridge.)
Add in a lack of discipline on the field (seven red cards this season is three more than any other side) and off the field (we’re looking at you, Enzo Fernandez) and everything points to an unruly dressing room that needs managing more than any kind of tactical direction.
Alonso’s failure to command the respect of the Real Madrid squad doesn’t bode well for a long and fruitful Stamford Bridge reign in what is possibly a risky move on both sides. For the Spaniard in particular, you question the motives behind his decision to take on a club that has spent almost £2billion on transfers and somehow gone backwards.
Why has Alonso risked further damaging his reputation? Is it purely ego on his part? Is the lure of being the man to reverse Chelsea’s fortunes, potentially propelling him back to a top-tier club like Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain, really too great to resist? Maybe. Is he being paid the GDP of a small country? Probably.
With their money and their academy there is a long-term plan that can work at Chelsea, but until those above Alonso’s level work out what they’re doing, it’s hard to see any manager succeeding on anything other than a short-term basis.
Hammer blow
Coming up