Erik ten Hag U-turn, tactical tweak, transfer decision - Bruno Fernandes Man United verdict given

Manchester United have not made a better signing than Bruno Fernandes in the past decade and so the possibility of the Portuguese dropping out of the starting XI may be unthinkable for many.

During a turbulent period for the club, the Portugal star has been a breath of fresh air. Since arriving at Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon in 2020, Fernandes has scored 79 goals and provided 70 assists in 241 appearances.

There's no doubt United would have been far worse off over the past few years had they not signed Fernandes. However, after speculation over the summer that he could leave United, it's also fair to say he has had many off days this season, with the most recent being the 1-1 draw with FC Twente in the Europa League.

READ MORE: FC Twente boss makes Manchester United claim after Europa League draw

READ MORE: Man United icon Paul Scholes is wrong about Matthijs de Ligt - Erik ten Hag has signed a winner

Here, we look at what United should do with their captain ahead of Sunday's huge game with Spurs.

Erik ten Hag needs to stand by his captain. Yes, he has been poor this season, with no goals and just one assist in the league. He has been missing chances that he would normally bury and this has cost United.

With that said, there have been countless occasions where Fernandes has produced the goods and saved his team. He is a firm favourite at Old Trafford and his passion and work rate cannot be disputed. Ten Hag's reliance on the Portuguese star shows how important he is to the team, and ahead of a difficult batch of fixtures, Fernandes could be the man to inject some life into United's season.

I struggle to see a scenario where Ten Hag drops or contemplates offloading Fernandes. While he has been United’s