Quotes from Amorim after Bruno Fernandes hobbled off on Sunday were not encouraging. He expects him to be out for a ‘while’ and that it is a ‘soft tissue’ injury. With Fernandes in over 28% of teams, many will be looking to move him on this week. We look at the best replacements for FPL managers facing this decision.
With Phil Foden selected by over 40% of teams, we have not included him in this list. He would, however, be the best replacement available if someone did not already own him.
Matheus Cunha – Manchester United
Price: £8.0m
While the losses of Bruno, Amad and Mbeumo could hurt Manchester United as a whole, someone who stands to benefit is Matheus Cunha.
Immediately, his minutes, set-piece and penalty share get a huge boost. With Bruno off the pitch, Cunha took a corner against Aston Villa and would be expected to step up for some free-kick duties, too. There is also the possibility that he takes penalties, although Sesko has a great record at these.
Amorim will be looking to Cunha to step up as the new talisman in place of Fernandes. This is a role he is well suited to given his performances over the last two seasons in a much worse Wolves side, where he racked up 40 league goal contributions.
Cunha has been trigger-happy, leading the league by taking over four shots per 90. Mbeumo and Fernandes were both also in the top 10 for shots by midfielders, so Cunha’s numbers may increase even further to fill this void.
The fixtures are set up nicely for Cunha to step up into this new talismanic role with Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds and Burnley in the next four.
United put seven goals past Wolves and Burnley in the first half of the season and will be looking to add to their misery when they meet again. Newcastle have also struggled on their travels this season in what promises to be a tasty Friday evening fixture this week.
With all factors pointing towards Cunha having a much larger role in this side, he is sure to be a popular Fernandes replacement this gameweek.
Morgan Rogers – Aston Villa
Price: £7.2m
Someone who continues defying expected goals (xG) and all stats that would indicate future returns is Morgan Rogers. He was a benefactor of Bruno’s injury at the weekend, as he went on to win the game for Aston Villa in the second half once the Man United captain was off.
With back-to-back braces, Morgan Rogers was already likely to see a huge uptick in his ownership. With the injury to Fernandes, this will surely be even larger.
It must be noted, however, that Villa have two very tough away trips to the capital coming up. Arsenal and Chelsea have conceded only 10 between them at home this season.
Beyond the next two, the fixtures are mixed. It is possible, though, that fixtures do not matter too much for Rogers, given his finishing ability and the form he is in.
It is not the largest sample size, but Rogers has been outperforming his xG since joining Villa in the 23/24 season. Since then, he has scored 18 goals from just 10.8 xG. He is only 23, so it is possible that he may just be an excellent finisher, and this could continue.
Unfortunately, he does not have the best volume of shots, taking just 1.8 per 90 this season. Encouragingly, he has taken 12 shots in his last two matches. Maybe this is an indication that Emery wants to afford Rogers more freedom to take these shots, given his ability.
Another feather in Rogers’ cap is his fitness. Much like Fernandes, he completes 90 minutes most weeks. A huge proportion of goals this season are scored after the 75th-minute mark, so having a player like Rogers on the pitch is already a massive plus.
If you can stomach the next two difficult fixtures, Rogers could be a great option to slot in for Fernandes and free up some budget in the process.
Florian Wirtz - Liverpool
Price: £8.1m
Someone who is on many FPL managers’ naughty lists is Florian Wirtz. This is down to the faith many showed in him to start the season, which he certainly did not repay. However, anyone who has watched Liverpool recently will tell you that he looks much improved. This is coming at a good time for him to be a potential Fernandes replacement option.
With injuries and departures, Wirtz is stepping in to become Liverpool’s main creative force. He is leading midfielders in the last six gameweeks for successful passes in the final third, showing his increase in involvement.
Across the last four, he has created 10 chances. This helps him hold a very healthy baseline bonus, meaning a goal or assist could easily land him amongst the bonus points.
The short-term fixtures are excellent for anyone looking to take a punt on Wirtz.
It does not get much better than Wolves and Leeds at home in terms of the next two. There is then the option to reassess ahead of Fulham and Arsenal. If Wirtz has earned more trust by that point, you could even hold for the plum home fixture against Burnley.
If you are looking to replace Bruno with Wirtz, you are hoping that his performance improvements and increased involvement result in tangible returns. He does not have the underlying numbers of Cunha or the form of Rogers, but the potential is there for him to show what he is capable of as an FPL asset.
Bruno Fernandes Replacements: A Round Up
Fernandes was part of quite a strong template. His injury will certainly shake things up, not only in terms of his replacement, but also the money this could free up to spend in other areas.
Matheus Cunha could step up to become United’s new talisman. He has incredible shot numbers that will likely only increase, along with his share of set pieces and possibly even penalties.
Morgan Rogers is in fantastic form and proving to be an incredible finisher, with the bonus of an uptick in shots taken over the last two games.
Florian Wirtz is more of a leap-of-faith. His performances have been much improved, and his involvement could be starting to increase at just the right time.
