Manchester United fans are currently mulling over how the side will shape up when Ruben Amorim takes to the dugout for his first fixture.
Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation is certain to take some getting used to, though most are anticipating that their skipper Bruno Fernandes will remain firmly cemented at the heart of the midfield, as he has done under each manager he’s played for since his 2020 move.
You’d also expect that he’d retain his captaincy after the new head coach takes the reins. Erik ten Hag oversaw his first term with Harry Maguire donning the armband before he stripped him of the role and awarded it to Fernandes ahead of his sophomore campaign.
The Portugal star has finished almost every season he’s spent at Old Trafford as United’s standout performer, hence claiming the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year accolade three times in his Red Devils tenure (2019/2020, 2020/2021 and 2023/2024). But it’s also his vocality on the pitch that often sets him aside from his peers – he’s not afraid of speaking up when others may be reluctant to.
While it has notoriously seen him on the receiving end of a booking on countless occasions, there are times when his efforts have proven game-changing.
Take the 22/23 home Manchester derby, for example, when he was incessant in his efforts to convince the officials that Marcus Rashford did not touch the ball before Fernandes’ goal after the linesman had flagged him for an offside in the build-up.
The goal was eventually awarded following a lengthy period of deliberation, and United went on to win the game 2-1, with Fernandes’ goal spurring the turnaround.
He holds himself to the same high standards off the pitch as he does on it, too. After last night’s draw with Chelsea, the 30-year-old admitted to Sky Sports that he had reached out to apologise to Ten Hag, having felt partly ‘responsible’ for the Dutchman’s sacking due to his lack of goals.
Fernandes is a player you build your team around, says Phil Jones
Roy Keane dismissed such comments in the studio, claiming it was a case of ‘too little, too late’. However, Phil Jones rallied behind his former teammate when reacting to the evening’s affairs on Match of the Day.
“I almost get the impression that he (Fernandes) is a little bit misinterpreted at times,” Jones began. “I can only go off my experience in the dressing room that I spent with him and the time I played with him. He’s a leader in that dressing room. He’s really good with the young lads.
“We’ve all got different captains. I think he’s a leader who leads by example on the pitch by the qualities he brings.
“He’s a player you build the team around. He’s a terrific player. He wants to win.”
