Data Shows Why Fernandes Was Better Choice Over Ronaldo In Taking Penalty Opportunity

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United put Bruno Fernandes’ spot as the No. 1 penalty taker in danger of being taken over.

However, after the Red Devils were given a rare penalty opportunity last weekend against Aston Villa, many were pleasantly surprised to see that it was still Fernandes who had the responsibility of taking the scoring chance.

Frustratingly though, Fernandes’ penalty attempt turned into a disaster as the ball sailed well over the crossbar, handing them their first loss of the season.

It could not have come at a worse time for them as they hoped that their run atop the English Premier League standings would continue.

Instead, they find themselves in the fourth spot due to goal difference with the No. 1-ranked Chelsea and the third-seeded Manchester City.

Conventional thinking would suggest that Ronaldo was the one who would take the penalty due to his stature as one of the best scorers from the spot but data shows otherwise.

Comparing Fernandes and Ronaldo’s penalty chances across their careers, Ronaldo has an 80 percent completion rate on 167 attempts while Fernandes scored on 93 percent of his 46 penalty kicks.

It is a relatively small sample size, but it does give the 27-year-old an unpredictability factor that Ronaldo does not have anymore in his long career.

Across 14 penalty tries in the Premier League prior to the Aston Villa fixture, Fernandes only missed one after Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow was able to save his penalty try in a 4-1 win for Manchester United.

The decision to still have Fernandes try and convert from the spot shows that Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still has full confidence in his midfielder despite having Ronaldo.

After the match, Fernandes took to social media to acknowledge what happened.

“Nobody is more frustrated and disappointed than me for missing the penalty and the consequent defeat,” wrote Fernandes on his Instagram page.

“I’ve always assumed my responsibilities and I've always embraced them under pressure in moments like this. Today, I failed. But I took a step forward and faced the challenge with the same ambition and responsibility as when, on the many other occasions, the ball ended up in the net.”

Manchester United fans and stars made sure to show their love and support to their top playmaker.

Fernandes and the Red Devils will next welcome Villareal to Old Trafford in a UEFA Champions League group match on Wednesday, September 29 at 8:00 pm British Summer Time (BST)