Bruno Fernandes if lifted into the air by Diogo Dalot after scoring at Leicester City.
Bruno Fernandes has been in sparkling form in recent weeks.
If Manchester United reach the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21, Bruno Fernandes will have 14 games left to produce his best goalscoring return of his Old Trafford career.
Fernandes scored his fifth goal in his last three games on Sunday night to help United stroll past Leicester City and record a comprehensive 3-0 victory at the King Power Stadium. He now has 16 goals across all competitions.
His late strike in the Midlands, which followed two assists, means he is now enjoying his second-best goalscoring season at United, surpassing his 15 from last season. Only in his first full season at Old Trafford (2020/21) has he scored more (28).
With up to 14 games remaining in United's season, Fernandes is in with a strong chance of running that record close, or possibly surpassing it. He is in sparkling form, highlighted by his tally of seven goals in his last seven games.
Alongside those seven goals, Fernandes has also produced three assists, though you could argue it should be five amid the key roles he played in all three of the goals United plundered against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford last month.
But with 10 direct goal contributions in his last seven games, Fernandes is hitting top form as the business end of the season approaches. Despite Sunday night's win at Leicester adding to the increasing levels of positivity, United's Premier League campaign remains dead in the water, with the Europa League their main focus.
If they are to contest the final in Bilbao in nine weeks time, they need their main man to be at the peak of his powers. Everything he seems to touch right now turns to goals.
It is why Roy Keane's decision to publicly criticise the United skipper so heavily last month is continuing to age so badly. Involved in a heated debate with Ian Wright on an episode of The Overlap, Keane's decision to take aim at Fernandes was somewhat jaw-dropping.
At that juncture, the Portuguese international had been directly involved in 13 Premier League goals this season, scoring six and creating seven. He has now been involved in 17, suggesting Keane's criticism acted as motivation for Fernandes to try and prove the former United captain wrong. Also, he has since scored against Fulham in the FA Cup and plundered a hat-trick against Real Sociedad.
Fernandes was interviewed by Sky Sports following Sunday's victory at Leicester and was asked about Keane's remarks, which included him saying "talent is not enough" when addressing his importance to the team.
Asked if comments like the ones Keane made hurt him or motivate him, Fernandes said: "I think both. Obviously, it is not nice to hear bad things about you; no-one likes it. But at the same time, it motivates you and makes you think about a lot of things that people think you have to improve and you have to take it in a positive way, understanding that whatever people are saying and if there is a margin to improve or not.
"Obviously, I know you are talking about Roy Keane. As I have said before, I have a huge respect for Roy Keane. I think he is one of the best captains the club has had and he was an amazing player for the club.
"It is the way he thinks, the idea he has about me as a player, as a captain, and I have to respect that. I do things in my own way to try to be the best, not captain, but person and teammate as I can.
"I do it every day and try to be an example of everything I do in a training session, on the pitch and in everything I do, but obviously not everyone will like [it], not everyone will think in the same way, and I respect every opinion of everyone."
Fernandes' response was typically classy and well thought out. He displays his leadership credentials in a different way to Keane did two decades ago, not least because football has evolved.
The former Sporting Lisbon man channels his leadership by stepping up and delivering for the team by scoring and creating goals consistently. His 17 direct goal contributions in the Premier League this season have directly earned United 12 points, meaning they would be 17th without them.
His hat-trick against Sociedad also ensured United progressed to the quarter-finals of the Europa League. He has continuously stepped up in recent weeks and his status as United's best signing of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era as unquestionable.
Keane, as Fernandes quite rightly pointed out, is entitled to his opinion. But, it has aged badly in just a matter of weeks.