BRUNO AGAIN! FERNANDES IS OUR PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Bruno Fernandes has been named as Manchester United’s Player of the Month for August – his fourth such award since joining the club in January.

The Portuguese gathered 48 per cent of the fan vote on our Official App, after an impressive month in which he converted two nerveless penalties against FC Copenhagen and Sevilla.

Bruno finished just ahead of striker Anthony Martial, who scored the winner in our 2-1 victory over LASK and won the decisive spot-kick in the win over the Danes.

The Frenchman had taken an early lead, but finished with 44 per cent, ahead of Brazilian midfielder Fred, who was the third nominee for the prize (eight per cent).

BRUNO TRIUMPHS YET AGAIN

Our new playmaker has enjoyed a remarkable start to his career in M16, and finished his maiden United campaign with 12 goals from 22 appearances. Eight of that tally were penalties – Bruno is yet to miss one.

But perhaps even more impressive has been his effect on others: his assists have breathed new life into United’s other attacking players, while his drive and determination have helped create greater consistency with results.

All of these factors were in strong evidence during the month of August. As United approached the end of an almost impossibly long season, Fernandes was given a night off for the second leg of our last-16 Europa League tie with LASK, but then he returned to the fore in a big way.

First, he stepped up to the penalty spot to dispatch Copenhagen in the quarter-final of the Europa League, and then he did the same against Sevilla, putting us on the brink of a place in the final.

Sadly, a raft of spurned chances against the Spaniards led to the disintegration of that dream, but Fernandes’s performance yet again impressed fans and critics alike. The Reds threatened to overwhelm Julen Lopetegui's side at the start of the second period, with Fernandes front and centre of that effort. Regrettably, numerous chances were not taken, but there was no denying that some of the build-up play was spectacular – and much of it revolved around the Portuguese.

And it was encouraging to see that, after a gruelling few months, the former Sporting Lisbon man roared back to life as the Europa League neared its conclusion.

This award means that Fernandes has now claimed our Player-of-the-Month prize in four of the five playing months he’s taken part in since arriving earlier this year.

Only Mason Greenwood (July) has been able to break our no.18’s grip on the gong – doubly impressive given the form of United’s other attacking players over the last few months. But Bruno heads into next season as the man that the rest of the squad have to match: and Reds everywhere are excited to see what happens next.

UNITED’S PLAYER OF THE MONTH WINNERS IN 2019/20

August – Daniel James
September – Scott McTominay
October – Scott McTominay
November – Marcus Rashford
December – Marcus Rashford
January – Fred
February – Bruno Fernandes
March – Bruno Fernandes
June – Bruno Fernandes
July — Mason Greenwood
August — Bruno Fernandes