Why Fernandes and Mbeumo could be a lethal combination
Mbeumo’s ‘expected-assists’ tally of 9.3, was the most in the Premier League, but he will also be asked to get on the end of things under Ruben Amorim.
His conversion-rate for shots was an impressive 23.5 per cent and it is well documented that he outperformed his xG (expected goals) more than any of his peers, highlighting how clinical a campaign the 25-year-old enjoyed in his final year with the Bees.
But how do we know he will benefit from Fernandes’s probings?
Well, Opta have explained how Bruno stands alone when it comes to defensive line-breaking passes, defined as a completed, forward pass that breaks an opponent’s defensive line, typically formed by the deepest players.
DEFENSIVE LINE-BREAKING PASSES 2024/25
1. BRUNO FERNANDES (UNITED): 89
2: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United): 71
3: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool, now Real Madrid): 65
4: Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford), Alex Iwobi (Fulham): 56
