There remains a long way to go, but Bruno Fernandes took his first step towards dispelling the Manchester United doubters. When Erik ten Hag needed a leader against Burnley, the 29-year-old stepped up.
A vicious volley on the stroke of half-time eased the pressure levels around Old Trafford as United held on to win 1-0, laying the foundation stone for their road to recovery after three straight defeats.
But Fernandes also made progress in silencing those who believe he should be nowhere near the captain’s armband. Last season, Fernandes deputised for Harry Maguire, who had been largely banished from the side by Ten Hag.
The midfielder was central to the new wave of optimism under Ten Hag and lifted the Carabao Cup in February, ending the club’s six-year drought. Read more: United have discussed a new option on the right wing Read more: United's midfield revamp has been completed but is yet to get started However, just one week later, all that good work would be undone and Fernandes was vilified.