United magician is now unrivalled in the Premier League this season, Carrick has fully unleashed him

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes’ “masterful display” in the Derby has seen him win the Premier League’s Player of the Week for the third time this season – and it sends a clear message to the Old Trafford hierarchy. Standout Star The Portugal international has been restored to his rightful No. 10 role since Ruben Amorim was sacked at the beginning of January. The 40-year-old coach had deployed Fernandes in a double pivot in midfield, dropping him deeper to help progress the ball forward. While a world-class player will always find ways to show their quality, it was an undoubted waste of his attacking talents – as this month has proved. In the three games since Amorim’s dismissal, Fernandes has three assists, coming agonisingly close to scoring himself on multiple occasions. He is far more involved in the attacking phase of play and is less drained by the demands of a box-to-box role, which helps maintain his quality on the ball late in games. The 31-year-old was magnificent against Manchester City in Michael Carrick’s first game as caretaker manager. He provided a brilliant pass to Bryan Mbeumo for United’s opener, but it was his all-round play – as an attacking midfielder still able to be his side’s conductor and captain – which was on another level on Saturday afternoon. This has been recognised by the Premier League, with Fernandes being crowned the best player in England’s top division last week – the third time he’s won the award after his performances against Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers in December. No other player has bagged the prize three times this week. A masterful display in the Manchester derby 💫 For the third time this season, you’ve voted @ManUtd’s Bruno Fernandes as your Player of the Matchweek 🔝 pic.twitter.com/D7vx1hz368 — Premier League (@premierleague) January 21, 2026 A Clear Message Fernandes’ display last weekend sends a clear message to INEOS over the integral place he still holds at Old Trafford, both on and off the pitch. The captain came close to leaving in the summer after Al-Hilal tabled a mammoth offer to lure him to the Middle East, which he believed the club’s hierarchy were open to accepting. The Saudi Pro League side are expected to reignite this interest at the end of the season. United would be foolish to even entertain his exit, let alone sanction it. Amorim was the strongest voice pushing for Fernandes to remain amid Al-Hilal’s courtship – but the Portuguese coach will not be there to push that case this summer. However, Fernandes’ award-winning performance also highlights the irrationality in Amorim’s tactical approach with United, given the former Sporting manager took one of Europe’s best attacking midfielders and placed him far from the opposition box. StatisticCount Passes into the final third12 Recoveries8 Chances created6 Big chances created4 Tackles4 Assists1 When Fernandes is given the licence to attack the goal however he sees fit, the result is usually lethal – just ask Pep Guardiola. Featured image Jan Kruger via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.