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Kevin De Bruyne Bruno Fernandes Man City Man Utd GOAL50 GFXGetty/Goal
Mark Doyle

GOAL50 2021 Head to Head: De Bruyne vs Bruno Fernandes

Lifestyle FC
Copa America
K. De Bruyne
Premier League
LaLiga
European Championship
Manchester United
B. Fernandes
Bundesliga
Portugal
Serie A
Manchester City
Originals
Ligue 1

The two Manchester-based attacking midfielders have made the shortlist for this year's award, but who do you think has had the better year?

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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's top-tier Express Pro plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

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There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save around 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 67%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for five days in 150+ destinations.

Over 28 monthsSave 67%
Protect 10 devices with high-speed VPN
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Basic

Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.

Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.

Over 28 monthsSave 80%
Advanced protection across 11 devices with high-speed VPN
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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's most popular plan, the Advance plan, gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.

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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.

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Ronaldo or Messi? Lewandowski or Benzema? Jorginho or Kante?

This year's GOAL50 is all about match-ups, with you, our readers, charged with ranking the best players on the planet.

One of the most fascinating head to heads is an all-Manchester affair: Kevin De Bruyne versus Bruno Fernandes.

They are, without a doubt, two of the best attacking midfielders in the game today – but who has had the better 2021?

De Bruyne's club, Manchester City, obviously fared better last season, and the Belgian was integral to their success.

Indeed, the 30-year-old was named PFA Players' Player of the Year after inspiring Pep Guardiola's side to Premier League glory, with De Bruyne contributing six goals and 12 assists.

He was also involved in a further seven goals as City reached the Champions League final for the first time in club history.

Chelsea, of course, lifted the trophy thanks to a 1-0 victory in Porto, but the outcome could have been very different had De Bruyne not been forced off after just an hour of play with a fractured cheekbone.

Kevin De Bruyne Bruno Fernandes Man City Man Utd GOAL50 Head to Head GFXGetty/Goal

The injury saw him miss the start of Euro 2020, but he still left his mark on the tournament, most notably in the group-stage win over Denmark when he came off the bench to set up one goal before then scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory.

De Bruyne’s Belgium actually eliminated Portugal in the last 16, with Bruno bowing out having failed to make a big impact on the Euros.

However, his influence on Manchester United’s 2020-21 campaign cannot be overstated. 

From the moment he arrived at Old Trafford in January of last year, the Portuguese has had a transformative effect on the club.

Last season, he scored 18 times as United finished second in the Premier League, with Fernandes winning back-to-back Player of the Month awards along the way, in November and December, to become the first player to pick up four in the same calendar year.

He also bagged five goals during his team’s run to the Europa League final, to finish the 2020-21 campaign with an overall tally of 28.

So, who do you think has had the better year – Bruno or De Bruyne? 

Remember, how you vote in these individual match-ups will decide who wins the 2021 GOAL50.

So, what are you waiting for? Get voting!

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