Andre Onana and Bruno Fernandes lead the Premier League for minutes played | OneFootball

Manchester United star Andre Onana tops the Premier League for minutes played this season, while his captain Bruno Fernandes clocks in at number four.

The Cameroonian goalkeeper switched Milan for Manchester last summer in a £47.2 million move to replace long-term number one at Old Trafford, David De Gea. Having previously played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, Onana was seen by the Dutchman as a key part of his planned evolution for the United team, given De Gea’s weakness in possession; an area Onana thrives.

However, despite a match-winning performance on his debut at Old Trafford against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Onana’s first few months in England were nothing short of disastrous.

While his league form was rocky in patches, with the 27-year-old often beat far too easily by opposition strikers, it was in Europe where the goalkeeper’s contributions proved decisive – in a negative manner.

Onana made calamitous errors in virtually every one of United’s Champions League group games; which often proved key to his side going on to lose the game.

One match in particular – the away match against Galatasaray in the hostile Rams Park stadium – saw the Cameroonian international gift the Turkish side two goals in embarrassing fashion, after United had gone 2-0 up themselves. The match finished 3-3, despite United leading on three separate occasions, and left the Reds with an impossible task of reaching the knock-out stages.

It would not be an exaggeration to say Onana single-handedly caused United’s dismal early exit from the competition.

Yet, since this departure in December, the goalkeeper has largely turned things around, delivering a number of highly-impressive performances since the turn of the year. Despite a revolving door of a back four in front of him, owing to an almost unimaginable injury crisis in defence, Onana is second in the Premier League for clean sheets.

His distribution, which led the club to target him in the first place, has also significantly improved, with United’s attackers often finding themselves in one-on-one positions in the opposition half after a Paul Scholes-esque long-range pass by their goalkeeper.

Put simply, Onana has found his feet at Old Trafford, and his form has improved with it. And this has been driven by Ten Hag’s continued faith in his goalkeeper – reflected by Onana racking up the most minutes played in the league this year.

Perhaps even more impressive than Onana’s minutes, however, is Fernandes’.

A goalkeeper will often top this chart, as the position is much less physically demanding than an outfield role. Which is why Fernandes’ minutes – an attacking midfielder at the heart of his team who often leads United’s press – are surprising.

But, for a player who has never missed a club game through injury across his entire career, perhaps it shouldn’t be. And, given the injury crisis which has engulfed Ten Hag’s squad this season, this strength of Fernandes – his dependable availability – does not receive enough recognition.

In a season defined by absence, a part of the reason United have been kept just about afloat is the ever present pairing of Onana and Fernandes.

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