Bruno Fernandes has provided Manchester United with a new solution

Two words are chanted ad infinitum in victory at Old Trafford these days: Argentina and Bruno. Lisandro Martinez has the privilege of the cult status Bruno Fernandes quickly attained three years ago and the Portuguese's legacy at Manchester United is far greater now.

Fernandes may not register half the 28 goals he tallied two seasons ago but there is a credible argument this has been his best for United. Fernandes has assumed leadership responsibilities under his third manager at the club, United have played some of their most commanding football in six years and Fernandes has started in all but one Premier League match (he was suspended at Aston Villa).

Back in July and at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Fernandes bristled when he was asked if he would "tweak" his game to become more aligned with Erik ten Hag's demands. Fernandes misheard the question.

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"What do you mean weaken my game?"

The misunderstanding elicited compelling quotes: "He (Ten Hag) wants me to do assists anyway, so I have to try it!" Fernandes protested. "I don't understand that type of question of keeping the ball or whatever it is.

"I keep the ball when I think I have to keep it, I try a pass when I think I have to do it and sometimes it goes good, sometimes wrong. Obviously, when it goes wrong, I know that shouldn't be the one, but sometimes when you play in the 10 position you have only a few seconds to think and control the ball and make the pass, so it's not that much time to think.

"I understand of course, that someone has his own opinion, but when I arrived in 2020 I was losing the same amount of balls in those six months and then the year after I lost the same amount of balls, but I