Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick says it is "a little bit unfair" to compare Bruno Fernandes to his former Old Trafford teammate Paul Scholes.
United fans have been indulging in the comparison during Fernandes' first few months in English football, where he has impressed while wearing Scholes' old No.18 shirt for the Red Devils.
The current coronavirus shutdown has meant that the Portuguese star has been forced to the sidelines with the rest of his United teammates for a number of weeks though, with the Premier League confident that matches will be able to restart by the middle of June.
But despite the growing hype around Fernandes, Carrick - who is a first-team coach at United these days and so well-placed to judge - has played down the desire to make comparisons between the club's new playmaker and their old one.
"He’s got great qualities," Carrick told the MUTV YouTube channel.
"I think it’s a little bit unfair in some ways to compare him to Scholesy, for both of them.
"They’re both individuals and sometimes it’s a bit too easy to tag someone to a former player. Bruno is his own player and has great attributes.
"He’s made such a difference and it can be a tough club to come into and make a big impact straightaway.
"It can take time for some players to fit in and get used to their surroundings because it can be daunting. But he’s exactly what we were looking for.
"The timing was right. He’s got an eye for a pass and what I like about him is he’s not fazed about giving it away.
"Even if that happens he’ll go again. He’s had a massive influence."
