Two Manchester United players are ranking among the Premier League’s best so far this season.
Manchester United are giving fans real reason to be positive after finally winning back-to-back Premier League games.
It is a pitifully small achievement, yet a sign of progress after a tough 12 months, capped with a spectacular victory away at Liverpool.
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United need to maintain this and build on a separate streak of three consecutive home wins when the team host Brighton this weekend.
The underlying numbers being put up by Amad and Bruno Fernandes suggest Manchester United have a real chance.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty ImagesAmad and Bruno Fernandes lead creative numbers
Amad and Bruno Fernandes provided the assists in Manchester United’s win over Liverpool at Anfield, with Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire scoring the goals.
Remarkably this was the first assist for Amad this season and the first for Fernandes. These numbers are sure to rocket, because they have been doing everything right.
Fernandes and Amad lead the Premier League for ‘Shot Creating Actions per 90 minutes’, separately only by Jeremy Doku.
- Bruno Fernandes: 6.21 Shot Creating Actions per 90
- Jeremy Doku: 6.05
- Amad: 5.17
FBRef define a Shot Creating Action by crediting players for having a key impact in a move even if they did not supply the final pass, or drawing a free-kick or foul that leads to a shot.
And when it comes to ‘Goal Creating Actions per 90’, Amad has five overall, only bettered by Antoine Semenyo, Jack Grealish and Mohamed Kudus, with six.
Fernandes has created 22 chances this season, more than any player in the Premier League. The nearest other players in the Premier League have 17.
Amad does not feature in the top 10, although Bryan Mbeumo does appear with 14.
Fernandes ranks second in the league for ‘progressive passes’ with 64, only bettered by Elliot Anderson with 71.
Amad and Fernandes playing more withdrawn roles than usual
Amad and Bruno Fernandes’ creative output comes in the context that they are both playing in different roles to last season.
Fernandes is playing in a deeper midfield role in comparison to a number 10, while Amad has also switched to wing-back.
Both players mixed in with these positions last season, but this time around it has been almost 100 percent in their new roles.
Despite this, both players are finding ways to impact games, doing so in the biggest match of the season away to Liverpool. And most excitedly, there is a lot more to come.