For one Premier League stalwart, you could barely slip a piece of cigarette paper between the respective captains of Manchester United and Arsenal.
This is a very different rivalry to that blood-spilling, axe-to-sword nature of the Roy Keane – Patrick Vieira days.
With Bruno Fernandes and Martin Odegaard, it is less about ferocity and more about finesse. A battle of creativity and output, rather than destruction and dynamism.
And choosing between the two rather depends on what you want from your advanced midfielder. Do you want the ‘brilliant‘, ceaseless chance-creation of Bruno Fernandes? Or maybe something a little more subtle in the shape of Odegaard?
Bruno’s Hollywood heroics, or Odegaard’s more collaborative approach?
Bruno Fernandes remains Manchester United’s star man
For Danny Murphy, the former Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Liverpool midfielder, Odegaard is a better fit for a team coached by Mikel Arteta.
But if Murphy was a Premier League manager with his own philosophy and with both players fighting for one spot in his starting XI, the incredible numbers put up by Manchester United’s mass-producing ‘Magnifico’ give Fernandes the edge.
“It’s just preference. Mine would depend on who else is in the team, that’s how close it is,” the ex-England international tells talkSPORT via their official YouTube channel. “For example, if you had Declan Rice and (Thomas) Partey behind Fernandes, I would probably go Fernandes.”
“It’s a close one. I think Bruno will score you more goals, but Odegaard scores as well. Do you know what? I’d be happy with either.”
Odegaard produced 22 goals and assists last term for an Arsenal side who took the Premier League title race down to the final day. Fernandes, meanwhile, managed 28 for a Man United team who finished in a historically-bad placing of eighth.
The former Sporting Lisbon talisman has picked up where he left off in that FA Cup final too – a wondrous no-look pass setting up Kobbie Mainoo’s winner at Wembley – with four assists in his first six outings of 2024/25.
Red Devils captain is already hitting his stride
“The one thing Odegaard gives you that Bruno doesn’t is better defensive work. Odegaard is better defensively than Bruno. So, I think (Mikel) Arteta would pick Odegaard ahead of Bruno even if he had Bruno,” Murphy adds.
“But, for me, I think Bruno has probably just about got the edge on creativity.
“I’m thinking I wouldn’t need his defensive work if I’ve got two brilliant holding midfielders if I played that way, but there’s not much in it.”
If Fernandes was to score or provide an assist during Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace, that would take his number of goal contributions in a Man United shirt to 150.
He currently averages one every 1.6 games for the Red Devils. A truly remarkable statistic which not only justifies what Man City boss Pep Guardiola said in the spring, but also makes you wonder what Fernandes would be capable of in a more coherent, consistent Man United set-up.
“When he has the ball, everything happens,” Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference before that Manchester derby cup final at the national stadium, via Beanyman Sports. “The influence from Bruno on that team is outstanding. Unbelievable.
“This guy is… His creativity is one of the best I’ve ever seen.”
Fernandes came off the bench and set up both of Christian Eriksen’s goals during the 7-0 midweek destruction of Barnsley.
