If Bruno Fernandes receives another yellow card in the coming weeks, Manchester United could lose him for one game, which would be devastating for Erik ten Hag. In United’s first 12 Premier League games, Fernandes has already received four yellow cards; the most recent one was during the team’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City last month.
However, the United captain will need to tread carefully over the coming weeks to avoid missing a single game due to a second booking. A player’s automatic one-match suspension begins once they receive five yellow cards in the first 19 Premier League games.
That leaves Fernandes with seven games to avoid a fifth yellow card at a crucial part of the season. Four wins from their last five league matches have helped United make up for a disastrous start to the campaign.
But they’re still playing catch up to their rivals and will need Fernandes available to help them close the gap. United face a tricky festive period as well as they’re up against Newcastle, Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa within the next seven games.
With three goals, Fernandes is tied for the team lead in league scoring for United and has played more minutes than any other outfield player this season. It would be unfortunate for Ten Hag to lose his captain over the holiday season, especially when playing their bitter rivals.
Prior to receiving his fifth yellow card against West Ham last year, Fernandes was in a similar circumstance. Fernandes was unable to be selected for United’s following match against Aston Villa, and United ultimately lost.
The previous season, when Fernandes was once again suspended after receiving five yellow cards in their first 19 league games, the Red Devils managed without him. When Fernandes wasn’t available, they defeated Burnley, but Ten Hag won’t want to see how his squad performs without their lucky charm this time.
A better like-for-like substitute might be Mason Mount, but the England star is sidelined right now due to a calf problem. Although the Dutchman has fallen out of favor at Old Trafford and appears likely to depart for regular minutes in the New Year, Donny van de Beek would also be a viable alternative.
In order to spare Ten Hag from any potential selection headaches over the vital holiday period, United is now depending on Fernandes to behave himself.