Bruno Fernandes is bringing the good times back to Manchester United

M anchester United began what is a huge week in the Erik ten Hag era with a 3-0 win over Leicester on Sunday. Next up is the second leg of their Europa League playoff with Barcelona, before they travel to Wembley to face Newcastle in the League Cup final. Victory on Sunday would deliver United their first silverware since they won the League Cup and Europa League under José Mourinho in 2017. For a club of United’s stature, six years without a trophy is too long.

That’s what makes Bruno Fernandes’s return to his best form all the more important. He started the season very slowly. In the 13 league games before the World Cup, Fernandes was directly involved in just three goals: he scored in wins over Southampton and Tottenham, and set up Marcus Rashford to score in United’s 3-1 win over Arsenal in September. Considering his scintillating form in the early years of his United career, he was unusually quiet.

There were a few mitigating factors for his slow start to the season. He was not the only United player who struggled to adapt to Ten Hag’s demands and style of play. But there is a clear identity in the side now, with Fernandes a vital cog in what is increasingly a winning machine. United have played 17 matches since the World Cup – 10 in the league, two in the FA Cup, four in the League Cup and one in the Europa League – and they have won 13 of them, with their only defeat coming against Arsenal in the league when they went down to an Eddie Nketiah winner in the last minute.

Fernandes had a strong World Cup, contributing directly to five goals in four games for Portugal, and his good form has continued. He picked up two more assists at the weekend, setting up Rashford and Jadon Sancho to score either side of half-time