Bruno Fernandes' Magic Defeats Tottenham's Curse

MANCHESTER, FRIDAY — When the team captain Bruno Fernandes showcases his best magic on the field, Manchester United is always closer to victory. This theory has been believed for a long time and has recently been proven once again. With Fernandes on fire, MU hopes to break the curse of Tottenham Hotspur.

MU will host Tottenham at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, on Saturday (7/2/2026) at 19:30 WIB. The match features two teams with contrasting trends. While the visiting team arrives with a record of six consecutive winless matches in the Premier League, MU has already secured three consecutive victories.

"The Red Devils," a nickname for MU, are enjoying the early phase of a honeymoon period with interim coach Michael Carrick. At the same time, Tottenham Coach Thomas Frank is on the verge of dismissal. It is only natural that Fernandes and his teammates are heavily favored to extend their winning streak this weekend.

"He started very well. It was as if there was an injection of energy into their team. Several players appeared to be in good condition, such as Bryan Mbeumo and Fernandes. Their team is working very well. So, it is both a threat and a challenge for us," said Frank regarding Carrick's influence at MU.

Despite being favored, MU should remain cautious. They seem to be trapped in a curse every time they meet Tottenham in recent years. Indeed, MU has not won against Tottenham in the last eight encounters across all competitions, with five of those resulting in losses. This record is quite concerning.

The last time they visited Old Trafford, in September 2024, Tottenham even embarrassed the hosts by winning three goals to none. Tottenham also claimed the Europa League trophy for the 2024-25 season from MU in the final match. Carrick is now awaited for the next challenge to solve the puzzle of "The Lilywhites."

For MU, the best way to break the curse is to maximize Fernandes. The creative midfielder has recently returned to his best form. He has contributed six assists in the last five matches for MU across all competitions, including two crucial assists that inspired the 3-2 victory over Fulham last week.

Fernandes' magic on the pitch is truly mesmerizing. Just look at Manchester United's winning goal against Fulham in injury time. It all started with Fernandes' movement, evading an opposing player on the wing, then crossing to goalscorer Benjamin Sesko. Fernandes transformed a harmless situation into a goal in an instant.

Fernandes is on fire, able to produce six assists in the last five matches. This number of assists is equal to what he achieved in 18 matches since the beginning of the season. This improvement in performance is not without reason. His contributions have started to increase again since the departure of coach Ruben Amorim, precisely at the beginning of January.

The national team player from Portugal has returned to the attacking midfielder position in the 4-2-3-1 formation during the last five matches, both in the era of Darren Fletcher and Carrick. Previously, he was assigned by Amorim as a defensive midfielder in the 3-4-2-1 formation. As a result, Fernandes' creativity and sharp instincts have been more beneficial in the opponent's penalty area.

Carrick amplifies the captain's influence by freeing Fernandes' movement in the opponent's defense. "He has a significant impact in many ways. You can see his spirit, how much he wants to succeed. Bruno has been fantastic since I arrived, just as he has shown before," said Carrick.

Fernandes' role will be crucial in the upcoming match. In fact, he has consistently contributed in eight winless encounters against Tottenham. Fernandes has only managed to produce two assists, one of which occurred when MU drew at Tottenham's home in their first meeting of this season, November 2025.

Fernandes has been awaited by the visiting team that is willing to adopt a pragmatic approach. Tottenham has recently changed its formation approach, from four defenders to three defenders, including during the draw against Manchester City last week. Frank has employed a more defensive strategy to cope with the injury crisis in the backline.

Tottenham has many athletic midfielders capable of disrupting the rhythm of the opponent's creative players, including Yves Bissouma and Conor Gallagher. City's midfielders, who possess high technical skills, such as Fernandes, have already fallen victim to the tenacity of the "White Lily" midfielders.

Meanwhile, MU should also be wary of the opposing striker Dominic Solanke, who has scored four goals in the last four matches. "They have a very good striker who can stretch the back line and attack the penalty area. They present a different challenge compared to our previous opponents," said Carrick. (AP/REUTERS)