Bruno Fernandes is in the midst of the longest goal drought of his Manchester United career. Despite recent high-scoring games, underlying statistics reveal persistent finishing issues. Fernandes is taking numerous shots but failing to score. This problem isn’t limited to him but affects several key players. Analysing these statistics, we understand the greater challenges facing Erik ten Hag’s squad.
Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United’s captain, is experiencing the longest goal drought of his career with the club, spanning twelve matches. His last goal came with a remarkable strike against Sheffield United last April, concluding a streak of seven goals in five games. Despite his constant efforts, including speculative and desperate attempts, Fernandes has had no success in his last 30 shots, two of which had barely a one per cent chance of scoring, according to Opta statistics.
This season, Fernandes leads the Premier League with 17 attempts without scoring, the highest tally among players in Europe’s major divisions. Although he nearly scored against Crystal Palace by hitting the frame of the goal, he has yet to find the net in his past four games. His third significant miss this season came from a slash wide of the post at Selhurst Park, adding to earlier missed one-on-one chances against Fulham.
The issue of poor finishing extends beyond Fernandes. Manchester United ranks third in the Premier League for expected goals (xG) this season with a tally of 9.10, indicating high-quality chances are being created. However, the team has failed to convert 17 out of 19 clear-cut opportunities, the worst conversion rate in the division, only surpassed by Southampton.
The low conversion rate has resulted in just five goals this season, almost half of what they would be expected to have scored from the opportunities they created. Players like Joshua Zirkzee, who has missed all four of his big chances while scoring once, and Alejandro Garnacho, are among the top six in the league with the poorest xG performance.
With only two wins in the first five Premier League games, Manchester United is already four points behind the top four, occupying the 11th position. The missed opportunities in the 2-1 loss against Brighton and the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace have been particularly costly. The return to fitness of Rasmus Hojlund and the improving form of Marcus Rashford are hopeful signs, but Fernandes and his team face an uphill battle to improve their finishing.
Manchester United’s current goal drought and finishing issues, particularly with their captain Bruno Fernandes, underscore the significant challenges facing Erik ten Hag’s team this season.
