Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes risks losing his unique record against Crystal Palace due to 'serious injury'
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes could miss the first game of his club career tonight due to injury.
The 29-year-old He has enjoyed an incredible run that is the envy of any other professional footballer, having never been out of a club match due to anything other than illness in 12 years.
Fernandes has played for five teams throughout his career, including the Italian teams Novara, Udineseand Sampdoria before returning to his homeland Portugal with Sporting Lisbon.
He then joined United from Sporting in January 2020, making an immediate impact by winning the Premier League Player of the Month award four times in the same year.
A record that Fernandes shares with each of his clubs is that he has never missed a single game due to injury in over 500 appearances.
The Portuguese star has missed two matches since turning professional, both due to illness.
Due to the flu, he missed a match for Sampdoria in the 2016/17 season and was then absent in the 3-2 victory over Tottenham in 2022.
His injury-free record is even more remarkable considering that no player in Europe's elite played more than him last year.
Fernandes is the only one of the five major leagues to have played more than 70 games in 2023, in more than 6,000 minutes of action.
But the midfielder's career is in more danger than ever as he is on the verge of failing. Tonight's Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.
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Ten Hag confirmed his captain is a major doubt due to a problem he suffered in the 1-1 draw against Burnley.
“Scott hasn't trained so far this week, but I expect him to train again on Saturday,” Ten Hag told reporters on Thursday. “We have to see if he is available at 100 percent or during a part of the game.
“After the (Burnley) game, we had a problem with Bruno. It is doubtful for Monday.
“We all know Bruno, never rule him out for any game, he will do everything possible to be available.”
Fernandes It has been a doubt During several games this season due to minor injuries, but as usual, he recovered to participate in all of them.
If he recovers tonight it would be his 158th Premier League appearance and his wealth of football is clearly taking its toll.
But Simón Jordán argued recently that two-time Player of the Year winner Sir Matt Busby is exaggerating his problems.
Jordan told talkSPORT: “Do you have a high pain threshold? I wish you had a high nonsense threshold. “If you had a serious injury you wouldn't play, right?
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“He had a blow. It's not just Fernandes. There are many players. This argument that ravages players who are characterized in a certain way… is of his own creation.
“These accusations of cheating, spinning, hitting and wasting time are all by-products of modern football.
“When you earn that nickname, that's what you get. No matter how talented Fernandes is, Man United fans at the moment don't accept it.
“They don't think he's a leader, they think histrionics are unacceptable. He's not the only one who does it, but he's the captain of Man United and they concentrate more.
“He doesn't smear it with a different brush. If you go around and do a four-act play of something, then get up and engage in an attack, then you weren't hurt enough in the first place.”
