Bruno Fernandes Reaches 200 Premier League Games: How He Stacks Up Against Manchester United Legends Scholes and Beckham

Although Manchester United have frequently faded from prominence in the period following Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, there have still been bright moments at Old Trafford.

The peaks compared to their dominant era in English football may seem modest, but silverware has continued to find its way into the Red Devils' collection since Ferguson guided his last Premier League championship triumph in 2013.

Bruno Fernandes has experienced everything since arriving at the club from Sporting CP in early 2020. The current face of the Red Devils would have certainly fit seamlessly into the much more successful teams of the past, yet Fernandes is also linked with some of the club's darkest periods.

Fernandes's readiness to accept accountability during difficult times has earned him respect, frequently addressing the press following United's latest disappointing results. His ultimate legacy may be difficult to define, but many would consider the Portuguese star a contemporary Man Utd legend.

He stands among the rare modern Red Devils to receive acclaim from the key figures of Ferguson's era, including Paul Scholes, who once declared Fernandes was "superior" to him, and David Beckham, who suggested that United would be unwise to part with their "outstanding" captain before the 2025 summer transfer period.

Fernandes has now become the 28th Man Utd player to achieve 200 Premier League appearances, reaching a benchmark previously attained by Beckham and Scholes. Here's how Fernandes's statistics stack up against the English pair through 200 league matches for the Red Devils.

Goals

Fernandes is a formidable long-range shooter, and several of his Premier League strikes have been spectacular, though more than a third of his 64 goals in the league have originated from penalties (22).

The 31-year-old marked his 200th Premier League appearance by netting the first goal in Saturday's 2–1 triumph over Chelsea. Fernandes's strike was his 100th United goal, making him only the third Red Devils midfielder in club history to reach the century mark.

Scholes concluded his single-club career with 155 goals, but he had netted 17 fewer than Fernandes after 200 Premier League matches. Unlike the Portuguese player, United academy product Scholes wasn't utilized consistently early in his professional career, with 52 of his initial 200 league appearances coming as a substitute.

Before transforming into a composed deep-lying playmaker, Scholes was an aggressive penalty-area threat with excellent positional awareness.

Beckham, meanwhile, was equally capable of brilliance and somewhat dependent on set-pieces like Fernandes. Ten of Beckham's 44 Premier League goals through 200 appearances came from direct free-kicks.

Assists

Only Beckham (62) has registered more Man Utd assists in 200 Premier League games than Fernandes (51).

Few have ever matched Beckham's delivery into the penalty area, who usually operated on the right wing in Ferguson's 4-4-2 formation but could move centrally when the manager eventually adapted for European matches and employed a three-man midfield or occasionally a diamond shape.

Players like Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Dwight Yorke benefited from Beckham's exceptional crossing technique. Fernandes, however, has worked with a less consistent group of strikers, though has enjoyed the skills of Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Fernandes is undoubtedly a more diverse creator than his English predecessors, but he's also remarkably wasteful. His philosophy appears to be persistence above all else.

Scholes managed only 26 assists in his first 200 Premier League appearances, finishing his career with just 52 in 477 matches. His assist numbers naturally declined during his later transformation into a calm defensive midfielder. He possessed every type of pass, but directly setting up teammates was never his specialty.

Trophies

Fernandes matches and surpasses Beckham and Scholes statistically, but the English pair dominate the current Man Utd captain in terms of honors.

While Fernandes has led United teams that have secured second and third place finishes in the Premier League, he hasn't come near to driving the Red Devils to championship glory.

When he reached his 200th Premier League appearance in 2001, Beckham had featured in four championship-winning seasons, while Scholes had played key roles in five victories. The duo also claimed the FA Cup on two occasions, and triumphed in Europe in 1999. Scholes would have partnered Beckham in the starting lineup for the final if not for suspension due to accumulated bookings.

Fernandes has missed two chances to claim the Europa League, and his display in United's heavy loss to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao attracted significant criticism. Nevertheless, the 31-year-old does possess an FA Cup and League Cup among his achievements.

Bruno Fernandes Premier League Stats Compared to David Beckham & Paul Scholes After 200 Premier League Appearances