Forget Bruno: 8/10 sensation has been Man Utd's real player of the season

Another game has come and gone for Manchester United, with Bruno Fernandes - recently crowned the FWA Player of the Year - now running out of time to break that elusive Premier League assist record.

With Champions League football secured, the Portuguese's pursuit of a 20th and 21st assist has, let's face it, become a real priority for the Red Devils, with teammates seemingly willing their captain to hit that milestone.

Michael Carrick's men may then feel like the trip to Wearside was a wasted venture on Saturday afternoon, with the two sides playing out a rather drab goalless draw. A typical end-of-season affair.

With the interim boss shuffling his pack amid a handful of notable absentees, there was no sense of cohesion or control, leaving the Old Trafford hierarchy with more questions than answers about both Carrick and his squad.

What we learned from United's trip to the Stadium of Light

First and foremost, Casemiro is key. Yes, for the fourth time this season, United failed to win a game that the Brazilian hadn't started in, with Carrick left with such little depth in that midfield department.

The 34-year-old's growing importance was already evident, however, with the 0-0 stalemate perhaps more quietly showcasing the influence of Diogo Dalot, with Noussair Mazraoui struggling in his place.

Like in Casemiro's case, Dalot has emerged as a central figure since returning to his rightful home at right-back, with the Red Devils winning every game that he has started since Carrick took charge.

Mazraoui, meanwhile, was one of many peripheral figures who failed to take their chance, with Joshua Zirkzee again firing a blank on his first start of 2026, while Mason Mount found life difficult in a deep-lying midfield role.

There were further woes too for Amad on his return to the Stadium of Light, with the Ivorian still waiting to register a goal or assist post-AFCON, having completed only one dribble and provided zero key passes on Saturday afternoon.

Even the aforementioned Fernandes - who lost the ball 20 times from 69 touches - wasn't at his best, with the visitors left reliant on the season's standout player to bail them out of trouble.

Why United's best player of the season isn't Fernandes

It may seem foolish to suggest that United's player of the year is anyone other than the captain, particularly with Fernandes in the conversation to be the leading figure in the division in general.

That said, while the assists are mounting up like never before, this is a level of form that fans and pundits alike have largely come to expect from the 31-year-old, as he even ended a turbulent 2024/25 campaign with 38 goals and assists in all competitions.

In terms of a truly transformational figure at Old Trafford this season, that honour would have to befall Senne Lammens, with the young Belgian undoubtedly United's best signing of 2025/26, if not in the Premier League in general.

Snapped up for just £17m, the relatively unknown talent has been such a breath of fresh air since entering the building, with the chaos that surrounded both Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir now nowhere to be seen.

Ever since his debut against Sunderland, ironically, the 23-year-old has looked the part in the sticks. Unfussy and unflustered, he's hardly put a foot wrong, despite having not even been signed to necessarily be the number one this season.

There was, of course, his stray pass last weekend against Liverpool, although he bounced back with a crucial showing this time around, dealing with everything that came his way at a time when those ahead of him were distinctly off the boil.

The former Royal Antwerp starlet notably denied Noah Sadiki with a smart stop in the early stages, having also kept out Brian Brobbey's close range effort after the break.

On both occasions, there was no fumble or errant parry, with Lammens effectively palming the ball away from danger, having largely been to thank for Carrick's men walking away with a point on the day.

In all, he made four saves, with United having forced Robin Roefs into just a solitary stop at the other end, highlighting the woes of Carrick's attacking contingent.

Lammens may not be the star attraction of this side - that status belongs to Fernandes - but it's difficult to know where the Red Devils would be without him.

For that reason, and for the surprising nature of his impact, he deserves the status of being the club's player of the season.

Click here to read article