Alexander Isak has netted 16 goals in 16 appearances (plus four assists) to fire United back into Champions League conversation and the semi-final of the Carabao Cup.
The 25-year-old Swede shows no signs of slowing down, remains injury free, and is leading the line with such aplomb he is on the fast-track to becoming the best striker in Europe.
Volumes of column inches have rightly been devoted to the 50-times capped international as his performances have lifted us from 12th on 7 Dec to 4th just over six weeks later. But he is not the only attacking player to have rediscovered his best form after a slow start to the season.
Bruno Guimarães
The Brazilian Geordie’s quality has never been in doubt, but he seemed to have a footballing hangover at the start of the season following on from Brazil’s disappointing dumping out of the Copa America in the QF stage.
Bruno only assisted one goal in his opening 13 Premier League games. He now has seven in his last 11 apps since he has been moved into the right-sided no. 8 role. A sensational creative run, Bruno has rediscovered his best passing range, laying on assists for Gordon, Schar (x2), Isak (x3), and Osula.
The 32-times capped internationals six Premier League assists equate to 0.29 per 90mins and put him in the 93rd percentile. He has been fouled 67 times (3.44 per 90), and he has won 140 out of 258 ground duels – by far and away the best stats in the league.
Still sat on a solitary goal this season (against Leicester at SJP) Bruno will be looking to add to that tally in the second half of the season. Playing in the more advanced role you wouldn’t bet against him adding to that total soon.
Anthony Gordon
Another player who definitely suffered an international football hangover following a disappointing summer, Gordon struggled to find his form at the start of the season. He managed just three goal involvements in 14 apps (with the penalty miss against Everton thrown in too).
The 23-year-old signed a new contract in late October, and it appears to have settled him down as he has now either scored or assisted in each of his last nine games, including his own little four game goalscoring run.
The former-Evertonian’s output has shot up since Eddie Howe moved him back to the left side – something which may’ve been a difficult call with Harvey Barnes being in decent form at the time.
Gordon’s all-round game is excellent too, he has made 44 key passes (2.60 per 90) putting him in the elite 97th percentile. And he’s another player who gets fouled constantly because he so dangerous (42 against @ 2.48 per 90).
He doesn’t appear to get nervous either, the Bromley penalty was the first he’d taken since the Everton miss and he slammed in home with a minimum of fuss. For the record he has career stats of 73% conversion rate on his penalties (8/11).
Gordon is on track to achieve another double, double this season, to borrow basketball parlance. He has eight goals and five assists in 26 apps.
Isak is, rightly, getting all the headlines for his output, he is just running so hot right now but both Bruno and Gordon have been key attacking players in United’s recent surge up the table.
