Stats Lie: Bruno’s Game Is Hurting United’s No. 9s

Many people don’t realize that Højlund’s struggles at Manchester United are more related to Bruno Fernandes than anything else.

It reminds me of that awkward period at Chelsea when they tried to fit Torres into a team built around Drogba. Just because the Drogba-Anelka combo worked, they thought Torres would slot in seamlessly. It didn’t happen, and not because Torres was suddenly a bad striker.

That’s the same mistake United is making. They don’t seem to understand that a proper No. 9 will always struggle in this system, especially with Bruno pulling the creative strings.

The truth is, Bruno isn’t a great passer.
He’s not technically sharp.
He’s not tactically disciplined.
And he doesn’t have the awareness to know when to play a simple pass instead of forcing something flashy.

When he first came to United, his numbers looked good, but that was largely because of Rashford and Martial. These guys aren’t classic strikers. They make things happen on their own. They didn’t need perfect assists; they could turn half-chances into goals. That made Bruno look better than he actually was.

And let’s not forget his time at Sporting. I honestly believe Amorim didn’t mind losing that final because it meant players like Bruno could finally move on. And guess what? Sporting improved after he left.

Bruno’s stats always look good. Lots of shots, forward passes, and occasional assists. But if you watch closely, you’ll see how ineffective he really is in helping a striker thrive.

Højlund is just the latest victim. Before him, Ronaldo, Lukaku, and Cavani all had the same issue. It’s not about the strikers. It’s about the players around them. Our wingers and midfielders are more interested in scoring themselves than creating chances for the No. 9.

Until that changes, any striker we sign will keep flopping.