Gary Lineker Names Bruno Fernandes as Premier League Player of the Season
Football pundit and former England striker Gary Lineker has declared Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes his standout "player of the season" in the Premier League, praising the Portuguese midfielder's exceptional football intelligence and consistent performances.
Fernandes Shines in Manchester United Comeback Victory
The declaration came after Fernandes played a pivotal role in Manchester United's 2-1 comeback win against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. United fell behind early to a Maxence Lacroix header but regrouped after Palace's goalscorer was sent off for fouling Matheus Cunha in the box.
Fernandes calmly converted the resulting penalty in the 57th minute, sending goalkeeper Dean Henderson the wrong way to equalize. Just seven minutes later, he turned provider with a pinpoint cross that allowed Benjamin Sesko to score a brilliant header for the winning goal—Sesko's seventh goal in eight games.
Statistical Dominance and Peer Recognition
This performance added to Fernandes' remarkable season statistics: seven goals and 13 assists in the Premier League, placing him behind only Erling Haaland in total goal contributions. The victory propelled United to third place and extended interim manager Michael Carrick's unbeaten start to six wins and one draw in seven matches.
On The Rest Is Football podcast, co-host Micah Richards highlighted Fernandes' tactical awareness, stating: "He's so clever... always scanning about, where the best places are to be, where he can affect the game." Richards added that Fernandes must be considered "one of the players of the season" due to his extraordinary consistency under both former manager Ruben Amorim and Carrick.
Lineker's Unwavering Praise
Lineker went further than Richards, explicitly naming Fernandes as his top pick. "You see him on the left wing, you see him on the right wing... what a brain! I think he's the player of the season for me," Lineker explained. He acknowledged that Declan Rice or Erling Haaland could challenge for the award if their teams win the title, but emphasized Fernandes' standout performances even during United's earlier struggles.
"I think he's got such a great footballing brain and technique. What a player, what a player!" Lineker concluded, underscoring his admiration for the United captain.
Additional Team Highlights
The podcast discussion also praised goalkeeper Senne Lammens for his calm and reliable presence since joining from Royal Antwerp last summer. Richards noted: "You know when the talk is not about the goalkeeper, you know the goalkeeper is doing a good job."
Manchester United will aim to continue their impressive form under Carrick in their next match against Newcastle. Carrick, alongside Ange Postecoglou, now shares the joint-best start after nine matches by any manager in Premier League history.
