Erik ten Hag accepts Manchester United captaincy dilemma with Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire

Erik ten Hag insists Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes can continue to share captaincy duties at Manchester United, with the central defender set to take the armband back at Nottingham Forest today.

With Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez both out injured, Maguire will make his 14th start of the season at the City Ground and with his return to the starting XI comes the armband, with the England international still club captain at United.

It will be just the sixth time Maguire has been captain for a Premier League game this season, with Bruno Fernandes the skipper for the other 22.

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Fernandes has worn the armband when Maguire has been out of the side this season, but Ten Hag insists what is essentially a job share isn't an issue and that both parties know what their role is, with the respect between the duo vital to making the situation work.

"They deal with it in togetherness, one is wearing the band, we accept it the way it is, they respect each other and do it through togetherness. I think it works out so far," he said.

Ten Hag has regularly repeated his desire for United to have more leaders this season and he named David de Gea, Varane and Casemiro as players who bring that to the squad.

The Dutchman also believes Martinez, who followed him to Old Trafford from Ajax in the summer, has also developed his leadership skills this season.

"A team needs more leaders, you need a group of leaders," said Ten Hag.

"Those are two [Maguire and Fernandes] but we have more, Rapha Varane, Casemiro, David de Gea, also Licha Martinez developed really well in that perspective. We have more."

United are starting to battle injury issues at a crucial juncture of their