Bruno Fernandes remains excellent Dream Team option despite Manchester United malaise

THERE are several obvious reasons not to select Bruno Fernandes (£5.5m) in Dream Team.

Firstly, as captain of Manchester United, he represents a team that have underwhelmed so far this season.

The Red Devils are eighth in the Premier League table having lost five of their 11 games.

Erik ten Hag’s have also lost two of their three Champions League games and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Newcastle last week.

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Secondly, it’s fair to say that Fernandes wouldn’t win many popularity contests.

Most elite-level athletes are ultra competitive but the Portugal international is particularly prone to adverse reactions when things don’t go his way – see the last ten minutes of the Manchester derby for the most recent example.

This unflattering habit tends to irk neutrals (and even a few Man United fans) which can negatively impact their perception of him as a player when weighing up potential Dream Team strategies.

Thirdly, Fernandes is undeniably expensive.

At £5.5m, the 29-year-old is the third-most costly midfielder in the game and the joint-fifth most expensive among all assets currently.

All that being said, the truth is that Fernandes remains an excellent option.

Dream TeamAn important figure for Manchester United[/caption]

While it’s true Man United have been below par as a collective, individual performances are what really matter when measuring one’s Dream Team viability.

On Saturday, Fernandes spared his team further blushes with a stoppage-time winner at Fulham for an 11-point return.

And a quick look at his underlying numbers suggest he was owed a double-digit haul.

He leads the way among midfielders for big chances created this season and only Jarrod Bowen (£5m) has registered more shots on target.

His petulance may rub some fans up the wrong way but Dream Team bosses should remove personal feelings and judge each player on their sporting merit.

Fernandes is prone to a sulk and he spends plenty of time arguing with referees but in terms of attacking potency, both as a playmaker and a goal threat, there are few better in his position.

That last-gasp momentRex

His match-winning effort at Craven Cottage took his overall total to 85 points – a tally bettered by only five midfielders at the time of writing.

Admittedly, Fernandes’ price is a legitimate concern for Dream Team managers.

With so many in-form options and just nine points separating the fourth and 11th-best midfielders right now, opting for a cheaper alternative to allow for improvements elsewhere is a perfectly reasonable tactic.

However, United’s skipper should not be underestimated, especially given his upcoming fixtures.

Ten Hag’s men face Copenhagen on Wednesday night then play Luton, Everton and Galatasaray in their next three.