Manchester United attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes has, like every other player, been ‘better off’ without Cristiano Ronaldo this season, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Ronaldo has been limited to a bit-part role under new Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag in the early stages of the current campaign, but recent results indicate that has been the benefit of his teammates.

What is the latest news involving Fernandes?

When Fernandes first arrived at United back in January 2020 from Sporting CP in a deal that could rise to £68 million, he made an instant impact on the pitch.  

The Portugal international racked up 12 goals and eight assists in 22 appearances across all competitions during his first six months with the Old Trafford outfit and went from strength to strength in the subsequent campaign.

In 58 outings, Fernandes found the back of the net on 28 occasions, setting up a further 17 strikes as he fired his side to a second-placed finish in the Premier League.

GiveMeSport Transfer Latest

Ronaldo’s arrival in the summer of 2021 was meant to enable United to compete for silverware once again, but that was far from the case, and his presence appeared to negatively affect his compatriot the most.

Fernandes’ goal contribution tally fell from 45 to 24 last term as the English giants slipped to sixth place in the top-flight standings.

What has Jones said about Fernandes?

When asked if Fernandes’ improved form at the start of the season could be down to Ronaldo’s absence, Jones stated that the creative talent is far from the only beneficiary.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, he said: “I mean, so far, everyone at United has been better off when Ronaldo’s not been on the pitch, so it's not just Fernandes.

“I don't blame Ronaldo for that, it's just to do with the evolution of the team, and the evolution of the club.”

How important is Fernandes to Man Utd?

Fernandes, who earns £240,000-per-week, has started seven of United eight games so far this season, scoring once and providing one assist while putting up some impressive underlying numbers.

As per FBref, the creative talent has produced 5.73 progressive passes, 1.73 key passes, 3.47 shot-creating actions, 12.7 pressures and 5.07 progressive carries per 90 minutes.

Those figures place him in the top five for each metric when compared to his teammates who have started at least one game, showcasing his importance to United.

It’s impossible to say how pivotal Ronaldo’s enforced absence has been to Fernandes’ encouraging start to 2022/23 has been, but it seems to be playing a part in him getting back to his best.