Bruno Fernandes’ creativity, Matheus Cunha’s kind and Antonee Robinson’s overlapping runs in The Debrief | Soccer Information

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Bruno Fernandes had not scored a purpose all season previous to Erik ten Hag’s exit however it’s now 4 objectives in 4 appearances since. In 250 video games for Manchester United, the Portuguese has registered 83 objectives and 72 assists. They’re particular numbers.

He was not flawless in opposition to Leicester. He not often is. It’s half of what’s so spectacular. There had been a poor cross and a botched go again to the thrower simply earlier than his opener. Fernandes nonetheless had the self-belief to crack one in from outdoors the field.

He was concerned within the second and claimed an help for the third, creating seven probabilities in complete – two greater than some other participant over the Premier League weekend. He has created as many in two video games underneath Ruud van Nistelrooy than 9 underneath Ten Hag.

A bit extra freedom has helped, roaming round from that No 10 place on Sunday relatively than being restricted to the proper as he had been at instances earlier this season. However that hints on the looming problem for Ruben Amorim – how greatest to deploy the captain.

Sporting's shape under Ruben Amorim in the 2024/25 Champions League
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There is no such thing as a apparent position for a pure No 10 in Ruben Amorim’s favoured formation

The incoming United boss favours a 3-4-3 formation and Fernandes’ greatest route into that system comes as an inside ahead however it isn’t splendid, notably with competitors from the wingers for these roles. Would it not restrict his affect if he was working from the flank?

The proof of this season suggests so however Van Nistelrooy was in no temper to deal with the query when the difficulty got here up within the press convention. “I cannot comment on that,” he mentioned of the brand new man’s system. Not his drawback. It’s one for Amorim to unravel.

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Tyrone Marshall of the Manchester Night Information joins Ben Ransom to debate Ruud van Nistelrooy’s last recreation in interim cost of Manchester United as they defeated Leicester

Lone wolf Cunha nonetheless starring

In what had been billed as a must-win recreation for Gary O’Neil, Matheus Cunha arrange the primary purpose and scored an excellent second to safe a 2-0 win for Wolves over Southampton at Molineux. It was a primary win of the season for O’Neil’s facet. Cunha was the distinction.

His supervisor used the press convention to remind the Brazilian of the necessity to enhance off the ball however that appeared churlish given his contribution on it. There is no such thing as a proper foot within the Premier League that has scored extra objectives this season – and Cunha creates too.

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Matheus Cunha scored with an excellent strike for Wolves in opposition to Southampton

Matheus Cunha's heat map and shot map for Wolves this season
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Matheus Cunha’s roaming position has reaped dividends for Wolves given his affect

Regardless of Wolves’ kind, solely Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Bryan Mbeumo have scored extra from open play, whereas solely Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer have created extra huge probabilities for others. He has laid on 9 such alternatives this season.

Most have been missed, Pablo Sarabia squandering two one-on-one probabilities in opposition to Crystal Palace earlier than seizing upon his through-ball early within the recreation in opposition to Southampton. Cunha ranks third for accomplished through-balls, by the way in which, eleventh for accomplished dribbles.

Matheus Cunha's impressive statistics for Wolves so far this season
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Matheus Cunha is scoring objectives however he’s bringing a lot extra to Wolves than that

Solely Salah has made extra most from quick breaks and Cunha seems greater than able to retaining Wolves up if they may simply tighten up on the again. O’Neil might want extra from his star participant however letting him play with this freedom seems more likely to reap rewards.

Chatting with Cunha in the summertime, hinted as a lot, suggesting this was his nature. “I do not want to go to the pitch and be a robot, I want to enjoy it.” There was little for Wolves to get pleasure from to this point, however the performances of Cunha have been a notable exception.

Robinson’s overlapping runs

Antonee Robinson is nominally a left-back however his attacking significance to Fulham can’t be overstated. After offering the help for the profitable purpose in opposition to Brentford, he adopted up with one other positive efficiency in a 2-0 defeat of Crystal Palace.

He’ll take credit score for his position within the clear sheet, making twice as many interceptions as some other Fulham participant. Robinson ranks among the many high 10 Premier League gamers this season for each tackles and interceptions, a testomony to his combative method.

Antonee Robinson's impressive statistics for Fulham so far this season
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Antonee Robinson is a combative defender but in addition a keen runner going ahead

However it’s his willingness to drive ahead that units him aside, little question attracting curiosity from the golf equipment proper on the high finish of the sport. The US worldwide had 16 final-third entries in opposition to Palace, by far essentially the most of any participant on the pitch.

Whether or not it’s Alex Iwobi or extra just lately Reiss Nelson, Fulham boss Marco Silva encourages his left-sided ahead to float inside, utilizing Robinson to offer the width. Overlapping runs are a characteristic of his recreation, as revealed by the Genius IQ information.

Antonee Robinson's touch map for Fulham in the 2024/25 Premier League season
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Antonee Robinson’s contact map highlights the truth that he supplies Fulham’s width

That monitoring information exhibits that Robinson has made 53 overlapping runs this season, which is the second most of any Premier League participant, inserting him simply behind Milos Kerkez. No defender, Kerkez included, has made extra high-speed runs than he has.

The results of these all-action shows is that no defender has extra assists than the 27-year-old Robinson both. The pressure is with the person who calls himself Jedi, nonetheless flying a little bit underneath the radar on this positive Fulham facet – however for the way for much longer?

Beforehand in The Debrief

GW1: Salah’s sprints, Saka’s one-on-ones, Mount’s urgent
GW2: Calvert-Lewin’s runs, Odegaard’s urgent, Pereira’s corners
GW3: De Bruyne’s place, Gravenberch’s runs, Dawson’s return
GW4: Nuno’s masterclass, Duran’s strike price, Nketiah’s capturing
GW5: Diaz’s ending, Traore’s finish product, Archer’s points
GW6: McNeil’s position, Kulusevski’s creativity, Gravenberch’s carrying
GW7: Saka’s creativity, Kovacic’s capturing, Mitoma’s return to kind
GW8: Rashford’s kind, Buonanotte’s tackling, Gvardiol’s passing
GW9: Palmer’s positioning, Iwobi’s passing, Savinho’s field entries
GW10: Semenyo’s dribbles, Salah’s box-skills, Caicedo’s tackling

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