The Man United midfielder has come in for plenty of criticism but showed at Turf Moor why Erik ten Hag decided to give him the armband permanently.
To the 2,000 or so Manchester United fans packed into the Barnfield Construction Stand at Turf Moor after full-time on Saturday evening, it may have looked as though Jonny Evans was named Player of the Match and few would have argued the decision.
And so when he and Fernandes walked away from their post-match media duties with TNT Sports to wave at the fans, few batted an eyelid to see the defender with the unmistakable yellow Player of the Match trophy in his hands - but it wasn't his. Since being announced as United's permanent captain over the summer, Fernandes has become a lightning rod for more general criticism surrounding the club's poor start. His confrontational demeanour can often be mistaken as a poor attitude and while focus on some below-par performances is fair, questions regarding his character are, at best, ill-informed.
Wednesday's 4-3 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich offered another example of his improving leadership, with the midfielder calming Lisandro Martinez and avoiding a second booking. The Argentinian had just shoved Harry Kane to the ground and gone head-to-head with Leon Goretzka. Saturday's gesture was a small one but the effect it can have on player morale is massive. Those things often go unnoticed, but it is why Fernandes is United captain material.
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