Young Tottenham Hotspur defensive midfielder Mateus Fernandes has only played at least 60 minutes in two of the six Spurs games this season, he's only started in three Premier League matches, and he has only played the full 90 minutes in that 2-0 loss to Newcastle United on Matchday 2.
At the beginning of the season, Fernandes was shining even in an unideal role as a No. 10, but with James Maddison slow to heal after yet another injury - a dislocated shoulder this time, suffered on Matchday 1 vs. Brentford - Fernandes had to keep playing as an attacking midfielder. And as that went south quickly, De Zerbi subbed the new signing off at half time against Aston Villa, and then after calling him out specifically following the game, he didn't start him against Manchester United.
Now, the other young gem midfielder for Tottenham, Lucas Bergvall, was incredible against Man United and has quietly been resurgent for club and country over the past few weeks. But Fernandes was one of the best midfielders in the entire Premier League last season on an awful West Ham United side and is Spurs 85 million pound man.
Mateus Fernandes is too good to rot on the bench
James Maddison is obviously going to come back into the starting 11 next week against his childhood club Coventry on Monday Night Football, and the former Leicester City man is going to be a massive, massive boost at the No. 10 position. He is light years beyond Conor Gallagher and the others in terms of feeling out the position, creating chances, weighing passes, and generating goals and assists. He is a no brainer to start, and after looking sharp in another 20 minutes off the bench in the first Premier League game after the Fall international break, he is ready for 60 minutes vs. the Premier League newcomers.
But in addition to starting Maddison in the midfield, Tottenham have to get Mateus Feranndes back in the 11, too. Lucas Bergvall is hard to bench when he has the hot hand, but with Rodrigo Bentancur suspended after his red card against Manchester United after Luke Shaw's latest annoying antics, the midfield depth is thin. And it makes more sense to have Bergvall as a difference maker off the bench than to keep relegating Fernandes to a backup role.
Fernandes, again, looked great to start the season, even when Spurs were playing worse as a team than they are now. Roberto De Zerbi owes it to himself and to Tottenham to start Fernandes, and fans are rightfully disgruntled that he isn't getting enough minutes as a No. 6/8. Spurs can look even better wtih Fernandes and Maddison helping Sandro Tonali pull the strings in midfield.