The aftermath of Manchester United’s dismal defeat to rivals Liverpool has notably seen Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes receive his fair share of flak for his performance at Anfield, with the typically talismanic figure having simply wilted on the day.
While not the only man to have disappointed in that 7-0 drubbing – with the experienced duo of Casemiro and Raphael Varane also performing well below par – Fernandes’ display has perhaps received the most scrutiny due to his role as captain, having been branded “embarrassing” and a “disgrace” by club legend and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville during commentary.
That limp showing – in which the former Sporting CP ace won just three of his nine duels and lost possession 14 times – has led to speculation that the 28-year-old may not be the club’s preferred candidate to replace Harry Maguire as skipper in the long term, with the latter man looking destined to depart Old Trafford this summer.
Such talk is perhaps expected amid the post-mortem of such a crushing loss, although it is foolish to so quickly write off the stellar work that Fernandes has done at the club over the past three years, notably racking up over 100 goal involvements to date in all competitions.
That being said, it could well prove an ideal time to take the midfield maestro out of the firing line ahead of Thursday’s Europa League last-16 clash with Real Betis, with the £240k-per-week man arguably in need of a rest after starting 39 games already this season across all fronts.
If manager Erik ten Hag is to drop the experienced asset, however, the only issue will be as to just who could replace him in the side, with ideal candidates Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek both facing lengthy injury lay-offs.
As such, the former Ajax boss may be inclined to hand a chance to promising teenager, Zidane Iqbal, for the visit of the La Liga side, with the 19-year-old still waiting to build on his solitary first-team appearance for the club.
Who could replace Fernandes in the starting XI?
It is no doubt bizarre that the Iraq international has already made more senior appearances (two) for his country than he has for his club, with the playmaker’s only outing for the Red Devils coming in the Champions League dead-rubber against BSC Young Boys back in December 2021.
Despite having been “so impressive” on the club’s pre-season tour last summer, according to BBC Sport’s Simon Stone, there has since been no opportunity for Iqbal to prove his worth at first-team level, sparking suggestions that the youngster was angling for a loan exit in January.
With no such departure coming to fruition, the Manchester native must be afforded the chance of game time under Ten Hag in the coming months, with the midweek clash against Manuel Pellegrini’s side no doubt an ideal occasion to get back into the action.
Lauded as a “really exciting talent” by Manchester Evening News journalist, George Smith, the 5 foot 11 starlet clearly possesses the quality to be able to shine in the centre of the park, with Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy having stated last year:
“Zidane Iqbal has heaps of technical quality, skill and intelligence – importantly with the personality to match it. He demands the ball, moves, scans, never hides and is not scared of making a mistake in trying to execute what he feels is the right decision.”
The emerging prospect – who has made 11 appearances at youth level this season – was notably impressive in Monday’s Premier League 2 defeat to Chelsea, with MEN journalist Steven Railston noting that both Iqbal and fellow wonderkid Kobbie Mainoo had “shined” against the Blues.
Although Iqbal has typically operated in a more deep-lying role, the versatile ace – who can also feature on the flanks – would seemingly be more than comfortable operating in Fernandes’ advanced berth.
While Ten Hag has largely avoided the temptation to rotate in his Old Trafford tenure thus far, Sunday’s horror show may well lead to the Dutchman ringing the changes against Betis.
