HARGREAVES EXPLAINS HOW FERNANDES IS LIKE SCHOLES

Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargeaves has compared Bruno Fernandes to his old team-mate Paul Scholes, by saying that “everybody looks better” with him in the team.

Our January signing from Sporting Lisbon has been a revelation throughout his eight appearances so far, impressively winning five Man-of-the-Match awards, scoring three goals and registering three assists. As you will know, the Reds are also unbeaten in each of those games across all competitions.

Fernandes enhanced his reputation as a fans’ favourite on Sunday by executing a genius chip, from which Anthony Martial opened the scoring in our 2-0 win over Manchester City. Hargreaves feels that moment of magic illustrates the relationships he has already formed as a Red.

Speaking in the latest episode of our Tunnel Insider series, Owen explains the impact that Bruno is making on the United squad and outlines how the Portuguese can be likened to our former no.18, Scholes.

“Well I think you can just look at the other players around him,” says Hargreaves. “I know that Fred has been playing well this season, but I think he looks more comfortable with having another ball player who he can get it into on the half-turn.

“With Anthony Martial, you saw a connection with the goal - I don't think that was a training-ground one, it was just pure instinct. City played a high line, Martial recognised the space and Bruno played a brilliant ball over the top. He is just a really good player and good players love to play together.

“I was saying to Scholesy, when we did a show together a few weeks ago, we are never going to see another Paul Scholes but Bruno has that capacity to make everybody else play better and to play football. It looks like the boys are enjoying it. [Nemanja] Matic looks great with him, Fred looks great with him, Anthony has got a partnership there and, really, everybody looks better with him.

“I think he has taken on a bit of leadership, which is important, and he works hard. In every phase, he has probably improved or played better than everybody could have hoped for.”

While nobody is getting carried away with United and Bruno’s good form, with plenty of big games still to come across all competitions, it is clear that Solskjaer’s Reds are heading in a positive direction and Hargreaves is excited by what the future may hold if similar signings are made.

“Watching that [derby] performance, there was a lot of belief from the players and they executed the coaches' game-plan very well,” says Hargreaves in Tunnel Insider.

“With the fans, you could feel that they were all on-side and you only get that when fans and players connect. Ole said after the game that everybody worked together, from the fans to the players. The players gave the fans everything and the fans appreciated that. They know when the players are leaving everything out there.

“I think for Ole, Carras [Michael Carrick] and Kieran [McKenna], it is a big moment and United have been great against the big six this season. They might not have had a lot of possession, but they were the more effective and had double the amount of shots on target compared to City.

“Now the next phase of that development is to start dominating games in terms of possession and that will come. When Ole gets the players in, like a Bruno Fernandes, then the sky is the limit.”