Bruno Fernandes Reaches Shocking Premier League Milestone That Man Utd Fans Won't Want to Celebrate
Bruno Fernandes's penalty that sailed over the crossbar for Manchester United against Fulham on Sunday represents the fifth Premier League spot-kick he has failed to convert for the Red Devils.
Since the Portuguese midfielder joined Old Trafford in February 2020, no other player in England's top flight has squandered more penalty opportunities.
To his frustration, Fernandes appeared rattled before his wayward attempt at Craven Cottage. United's captain accidentally stepped on referee Chris Kavanagh while retreating from the ball. Despite having moments to regain his composure, Fernandes couldn't find the necessary calm, sending his shot well over Bernd Leno's goal.
This wasn't Fernandes's first penalty mishap from the spot. The seasoned midfielder has failed to score five of his 27 penalty attempts in English top-flight football. Remarkably, this figure matches Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, along with former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrović and West Ham United's James Ward-Prowse, who has shown greater accuracy from free kicks than penalties.
Fernandes's penalty success rate in the Premier League sits at 81.5%. Among all players who have taken at least 10 penalties in the past six years, United's primary penalty taker places 14th among 18 players.
Fernandes Is Not One of the Premier League's Most Reliable Penalty Takers
Player | Penalty Record (Conversion Rate) |
|---|---|
1. Callum Wilson | 11/11 (100%) |
2. Harry Kane | 15/16 (93.8%) |
3. Cole Palmer | 13/14 (92.9%) |
4= Bukayo Saka | 11/12 (91.7%) |
4= Alexander Isak | 11/12 (91.7%) |
4= Ivan Toney | 11/12 (91.7%) |
7. Bryan Mbeumo | 10/11 (90.9%) |
8= João Pedro | 9/10 (90%) |
8= Alexis Mac Allister | 9/10 (90%) |
10. Erling Haaland | 17/19 (89.5%) |
11. Mohamed Salah | 30/35 (85.7%) |
12. Jorginho | 18/21 (85.7%) |
13. Marcus Rashford | 9/11 (81.8%) |
14. Bruno Fernandes | 22/27 (81.5%) |
15. Jamie Vardy | 13/17 (76.5%) |
16. James Ward-Prowse | 12/17 (70.6%) |
17. Wilfried Zaha | 7/11 (63.6%) |
18. Aleksandr Mitrović | 5/10 (50%) |
Data from 2019–20 season onwards. Via FBref and correct as of Aug. 24, 2025.
United's summer signing Bryan Mbeumo demonstrates a much superior 90.9% conversion rate, missing only one of his 11 attempts for Brentford after adopting Ivan Toney's deliberate stutter technique.
Regarding Fernandes's methodology, he has previously revealed that extensive preparation precedes each penalty. "I always try to find the balance between what I feel more comfortable doing and what is the most difficult thing for the goalkeeper to save. So you have to find a balance between that and then take your chance," he explained to United's official website last year.
"I always talk with the goalkeepers' coach about the way that the goalkeeper does [things] or how he saves it, how he's [doing things] movement-wise and everything. And from the videos I see and the conversations I have with Craig [Mawson, goalkeeping coach], I always see what's the best solution for me or the best way that I could take the penalty to get the best chance of scoring."
Perhaps it's time to adjust that approach.