Manchester United are poised to conclude their most dismal Premier League season, languishing in 16th place with just one match remaining. They’ve set numerous unenviable records, with the only glimmer of hope being the Europa League final, offering a potential lifeline to Champions League qualification if victorious. Not many positives emerged on the pitch for the Red Devils, with a select few players deserving commendation in this nightmare of a season.

Amad Diallo is one such player, and skipper Bruno Fernandes has endeavored to pull Manchester United from the mire toward some semblance of success or dignity. The attacking midfielder boasts eight goals and nine assists in league play, with 19 goals and assists each across all competitions. The nearest player to him in terms of goal contributions is Alejandro Garnacho, who has netted 11 goals and provided 10 assists, clearly the second-best to Fernandes.

His influence on a struggling Manchester United side prompted former Red Devils icon Michael Owen to include the Portuguese playmaker in his Premier League team of the season, surpassing a host of other midfielders. The likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Bruno Guimaraes, and Sandro Tonali were omitted by Owen despite their stellar seasons and leading their teams to strong domestic performances. Owen’s former Liverpool colleague Dietmar Hamann didn’t believe Fernandes should feature in any team of the year discussions, arguing he hasn’t sufficiently improved the players around him as captain.

“As captain, a seasoned professional and international veteran with numerous caps for Portugal, you ought to see some progress at some point,” Hamann stated on The Final Word on Optus Sport. “I’m not saying it’s entirely his fault or Onana’s, but as a team leader, your role is to elevate your teammates. I don’t think he achieves this. Is he skilled? Certainly, but he’s 30 now, and we shouldn’t be discussing his talent. Playing for Manchester United implies you have something special. I don’t perceive him as a captain or a player who merits inclusion in the team [of the season]. Not only due to his captaincy but because as a seasoned player, I expect more from him.”

These critiques of Fernandes aren’t new; his leadership has been questioned multiple times, including after a lackluster 2-0 defeat to Wolves last December, where he was dismissed for two poor yellow cards when his team needed him. However, Owen defended the star, highlighting that Manchester United might be closer to a relegation scrap without his on-field influence. “As captain, he hasn’t necessarily demanded the role. Sometimes, there are limited options, and he’s been given the job and led them as best as he can, but he may not be a natural leader,” Owen remarked.

“What concerns me; if you observe Manchester United over the past few years, virtually every player regresses in that setup, and I ponder, ‘Where would Manchester United be without him?’ He’s one individual who has taken responsibility, consistently remained fit and healthy, scoring goals and assisting… In Europe, he’s been outstanding, almost single-handedly taking them to the final. I acknowledge it’s a contentious choice; I could have opted for others, but I believe, considering all factors – performance-wise – he’s led by example, and his stats don’t lie. I just wonder where Manchester United would be without him.” There was significantly less contention regarding Owen’s pick for player of the season, which was awarded to Liverpool’s star Mohamed Salah.

As the top scorer with 28 goals and leading the assists chart with 18, there was no real alternative, in Owen’s view. “He’s always fit, always healthy, constantly scoring goals. It’s the toughest task, and he excels at it more than almost anyone in the league,” Owen commented. “His consistency is remarkable, even at his age, there’s no indication of decline. He’s secured a new contract, so we’ll enjoy his performances for a few more seasons, and he’s likely to break even more records. He has dethroned many records, and he’ll probably complete this in the next few seasons. Capturing the Premier League, I don’t think there are many disputes that Mo Salah is the best in the Premier League.”

Owen did concede his performance dipped slightly towards the season’s end in all competitions, but he believes this shouldn’t detract from his exceptional achievements as he has steered Liverpool to a Premier League title: “He has slightly declined towards the end of the season,” he stated. “I felt in the latter stages of the Champions League he wasn’t at his best in the last half a dozen games. But we can overlook that.”

Michael Owen’s Premier League team of the season includes Goalkeeper: Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest) Defenders: Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest), William Saliba (Arsenal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth) Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Moises Caicedo (Chelsea) Forwards: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest), Alexander Isak (Newcastle United) Substitutes: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest), Murillo (Nottingham Forest), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Matheus Cunha (Wolves), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) Coach: Arne Slot (Liverpool).