Bruno Fernandes takes first step towards silencing Manchester United captaincy doubts

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.

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However, just one week later, all that good work would be undone and Fernandes was vilified. His future captaincy hopes, it appeared, were in tatters.

“Some of Fernandes’ behaviour has been a disgrace,” Neville said after the 7-0 drubbing to Liverpool in March. “I’ve had enough of him throwing his arms around at his teammates. I've had enough of him not running back. He whinges at everybody.

“He got pushed in the chest and went down holding his face. He's got to put a captain's performance out there and that wasn't a captain's performance by a Manchester United player.”

Petulance is a criticism that has often been levelled at Fernandes when the going gets tough. It is a difficult label for him to shift. Another Man United legend, Paul Scholes, questioned Ten Hag’s decision to appoint him as full-time skipper in the