Why does Bruno create so many chances?

The 28-year-old has been the creative hub in Manchester United’s side since signing in January 2020 and his 258 chances generated in open play are the most in the Premier League during that time.

Bruno’s on-field relationship with Marcus Rashford is particularly strong, with Fernandes conjuring 34 opportunities for our top scorer this term – a league-high.

The six assists he’s provided for Rashford is also a record for one player to another in a single Premier League season for United.

“I think we have a great connection and I know Marcus. I know which kind of movement he wants to do,” Fernandes said when we asked about their combination.

“Marcus knows where I can put the ball, where I want him to go when I have the ball in some places on the pitch.

“So we have that connection that we understand each other, even sometimes without looking at each other and just finding the spaces.”

Unfortunately, Rashford is a major doubt for Saturday’s game against Wolverhampton Wanderers due to a leg injury.

Our no.10 has carried the goalscoring burden brilliantly for United under Erik ten Hag, and he is just one goal away from becoming the first Red since Robin van Persie to net 30 across a season.

In his potential absence, Fernandes is placing a lot of emphasis on how he can best serve the other attackers as we look for a crucial win in the race for a top-four place.

“Obviously when I arrived I had many assists to Anthony Martial. My first half-season it was great with him,” Bruno recalled.

“We had a really good connection that we could find ourselves in positions and with the help that Marcus [added] when he came back from his injury [that] was also something really good.

“But obviously I want to get that connection with everyone up front and even in midfield or the defenders that sometimes we get into the box, because it's important for us and it's important for me to understand where they can feel themselves more comfortable to get the ball, more comfortable to score goals and the positions where they feel they are more dangerous.

“So I just have to read the situation, read whatever is in front of me and understand how it’s better to give them the ball so I can create a better chance for them and for ourselves too.”

Although some players just dovetail from the off, Fernandes puts his understanding with Rashford down to the mammoth number of games the pair have racked up over the past three years.

While a match environment is something that’s hard to recreate on a daily basis at Carrington, it’s a measure of the football obsessive Bruno is that he admits he’ll grill his fellow Reds on their preferred movements to understand where they want to be served in front of goal.

“Yeah, with some players it’s just a click, you know, it's just some moments you have that feeling, you have that connection and that's it,” he added. “With other players you have to build that and get some more time.

“As I said, it's with game time. The more and more you play with them you get that connection. Obviously with Rashy it’s been three years and I think we've been playing almost every time together. So that connection gets built more easily.

“Sometimes you need more minutes in games because a game is always different to training. The situations are different, but you can get moments and understanding when you talk with them: where I like more of the ball, where you would like to go, the kind of movements they do.

“So if they are more they want to run behind, if they want it into feet, if there are some that will head the ball well or not, or if you have to cross it on the floor. So you just have to understand.

“That's the understanding of a team, of a group. You have to understand what's the best for your teammate.”