Even though Erik ten Hag’s selection of Bruno Fernandes as Manchester United’s new captain was likely his first option from the start, the move has been criticized by certain fans.

Despite being one of the most important players for United since his 2020 transfer from Sporting Lisbon, Fernandes’s body language in tough situations has not always been exemplary.

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Since taking over as captain in the summer, the Portuguese international has been criticized by a number of Premier League commentators, including Micah Richards and Chris Sutton.

New data from the Premier League, however, shows that Fernandes is literally setting the bar high in one important category.

According to PremierLeague.com, Fernandes has logged 46.86 kilometers through Manchester United’s first four league matches this season, second only to Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski (47.07 kilometers).

Fernandes has stood out not only in terms of his physical stats, but also in terms of his оffensive analytics. The midfield wizard, who has already scored once and assisted twice this season, has created 13 chances for his teammates in those games, more than anybody else wearing a United jersey.

Ten Hag said that Fernandes’ hunger for victory on the field and his ability to swing games were major factors in his choice to give him the captain’s armband. The Dutchman made these remarks back in July: “A good squad is always covering areas as leaders, team players, multi-functional players, specialists, and individualists.

But you really must have leaders on the field who are steering the ship, constructing the crew, and keeping a tight rein on the show. We settled on Bruno as our [arm]band representative since he is an inspiration to us all. That guy is a model.