Erik ten Hag has dropped the biggest hint yet that he has no plans to utilise Bruno Fernandes in a wide position moving forward after the Manchester United star dazzled in a deep-lying midfield role against Everton.
Fernandes, 28, has established himself as one of the club's most influential players since joining from Sporting Lisbon back in 2020 and has been a regular since Ten Hag succeeded Ralf Rangnick last summer.
The Portuguese playmaker has played most of his football for United as a No.10, however, he has been deployed in a number of different roles by Ten Hag this term - including a brief spell on the wing.
Fernandes played out wide with Wout Weghorst deployed as a No.10 in Manchester United's chastening 7-0 defeat against Liverpool last month and was heavily criticised for his petulant behaviour during the match.
He rebounded in style with a brilliant performance in his usual role in United's 4-1 win over Real Betis in the Europa League just a few days later - and that prompted Old Trafford icon Paul Scholes to urge Ten Hag to never play his vice-captain out wide "ever again".
"Some of the players who came in for criticism, Bruno especially, I thought he was brilliant in the centre of the pitch where we know that's his best position," Scholes told BT Sport after the win over Betis. "I hope we never see him in a wide area ever again on the football pitch because it's just not his strength, he was so good in the centre of that pitch dictating play."
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Not for the first time, Fernandes pulled the strings from a deeper role in United's 2-0 win over Everton, which came hot on the heels of a midweek victory against Brentford. And Ten Hag's comments lauding Fernandes' performance indicate that a return to the wing is unlikely to occur anytime soon.
"I think [Fernandes] was brilliant but he was already playing brilliant over many games in a deeper role. Not everyone was recognising but also even last week at Newcastle he was playing very well," Ten Hag told Match of the Day following Saturday afternoon's match.
"Against Brentford played really well, today again, but I said he was definitely one of the best players, maybe the best player on the pitch, but we had more at a high level."
After a difficult campaign last year, Fernandes has rediscovered some of his best form under Ten Hag and has managed to chalk up 10 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for Manchester United this term.
