Bruno Fernandes put Manchester United's 2-1 comeback win over Barcelona down to a "bouncing" Old Trafford on Thursday.

The hosts went behind in the first half after the Portuguese midfielder conceded a penalty for a tug on Alejandro Balde, with Robert Lewandowski converting for Barca.

But goals from Fred and Antony after the break saw United turn matters around to seal a 4-3 aggregate victory and secure a place in the draw for the last 16.

Erik ten Hag's side were backed by a noisy Old Trafford throughout, and Fernandes was quick to pay tribute to the fans' contribution afterwards.

"The belief in the team is always there," he told BT Sport. "The belief from the fans, for us, is amazing. They [have] pushed us through difficult moments this season.

"They've been with us in the toughest moments. This season, we have been good, really good. This is something different, between them and us.

"We have something special, because they can see we are doing all we can to win games for them. Old Trafford was bouncing, that's why we got the result."

For United, there is limited time to dwell on such a momentous result – their first win over Barcelona since April 2008 – as they turn focus towards Sunday's EFL Cup final against Newcastle United.

With a chance to end the club's six-year silverware drought this weekend, fellow midfielder Fred acknowledges they must refocus quickly to stay on track.

"[It was a] good game today," he added. "[But] we need to keep going. We have a final on Sunday. We need to change our mind [ahead] of the final."

Erik ten Hag wants to concentrate on building a better version of Manchester United rather than growing talk of a Premier League title challenge.

United are five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, albeit having played a game more, after cruising to a 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford scored twice for United to take his tally for the season to a career-best 24 goals, giving the Red Devils control in a game that saw David de Gea twice prevent Leicester from taking the lead with fine first-half saves.

Jadon Sancho came off the bench in the second half to seal the points, sending United into a huge week on a high.

Ten Hag's men face Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday, having drawn the first leg 2-2, and then take on Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at Wembley three days later.

United are still in the hunt on four fronts, but Ten Hag is not paying any mind to discussion about a Premier League push.

"We don't think about that, we think about tomorrow, we have to be a better version of ourselves and that is what we have to work for," Ten Hag told the BBC.

"We are in February, don't look far ahead."

While Rashford played a starring role, Bruno Fernandes was an excellent supporting actor, registering seven key passes and two assists in a game that saw 45 shots, the most in the Premier League since United's clash with Burnley in October 2016 (also 45).

"Leicester is a great team, they played really well and made it really tough for us," added Ten Hag. "It was also by us, we didn't follow the rules and the principles of the game from our way of play and then you get punished.

"We were lucky, and it is only because of David de Gea that we don't concede a goal. Great saves, we were not disciplined, and it is not right.

"We came in at half-time and said it. We were 1-0 up, we knew also how to beat them because there was a lot of space in the midfield and behind their defending line. It was a good [opening] goal, once again a great pass from Bruno, great goal from Rashy and then we are 1-0 up. The second half was all us and Bruno Fernandes played a magnificent game.

"The team is putting Rashford in the right positions, especially Bruno, he creates how many passes, he gives behind, he crosses in. Not only Bruno but I think he is doing a great job.

"We need all players in form, but we have to follow the principles of our way of play and if we do that, we can play very well and we have seen that in the second half."

Manchester United had Casemiro sent off but racked up a sixth consecutive Premier League home win as Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored in a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Palace were on the back foot from the off in Saturday's game and fell behind to Fernandes' typically cool penalty inside the opening 10 minutes, before Rashford added a second goal shortly after the hour.

Casemiro was then dismissed following a VAR review after he put his hands around Will Hughes' neck during an altercation between both sets of players, and Jeffrey Schlupp set up a tense finale with a goal 14 minutes from full-time.

United held on, though, to move three points behind second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand – while Palace remain 12th, six points clear of the relegation zone.

The hosts were rewarded for a bright start in the seventh minute when Fernandes stroked home from the spot after Hughes handled Rashford's cross – the decision given following a pitchside review by referee Andre Marriner.

Vicente Guaita kept out efforts from Wout Weghorst and Rashford before the half-hour mark, while Fred clipped wide from close range as United threatened to double their advantage.

Rashford was switched into the centre of United's attack following Alejandro Garnacho's introduction in place of Weghorst, and the move paid off in the 62nd minute as the in-form England international steered home Luke Shaw's cross from eight yards.

Casemiro's red-mist moment handed the initiative to Palace, who reduced the deficit when Schlupp prodded home from a corner, yet United managed to hold on for maximum points.

Arsenal and Manchester United lock horns at Emirates Stadium on Sunday in perhaps the biggest clash between the two sides since the title-tussling encounters of the mid-2000s.

The two Premier League greats are a shadow of their former selves; the Gunners have not won the title since 2004 while United last lifted the Premier League in Alex Ferguson's final season in charge, 10 years ago.

Yet the 2022-23 season has seen the old rivals show signs of vast improvement.

Arsenal's patience in Mikel Arteta is paying off. A return to the Champions League might have been the target heading into the campaign, but the Gunners find themselves in pole position in the title race.

Similarly, Erik ten Hag has steadied the ship at Old Trafford, following a difficult start at the club, to give United a shot at becoming involved in the title equation.

Those hopes were dented slightly by a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Wednesday, though claiming a second win of the season over the Gunners, whose only league loss of the campaign came at Old Trafford back in September, would greatly enhance their status as contenders.

Crucial to the form of both teams have been two playmakers; classic number 10s in terms of their technical ability and distribution, but the pair also possess the keys to success in the modern game – aggression and work rate.

Martin Odegaard, Arsenal's captain, has excelled since he was handed the armband by Arteta ahead of the campaign. The Norway international, signed by Real Madrid back when he was 16, has gone from strength to strength, and clinched the Premier League Player of the Month award for November/December.

United, meanwhile, have Bruno Fernandes back at his best and, though his displays have gone under the radar in comparison to Odegaard, the Portugal midfielder stands as one of the Premier League's finest performers this term.

Two sides of the same coin

Odegaard's numbers in front of goal this season have been the driving force behind conversations that there may well be another Norwegian in the running for player of the year alongside Erling Haaland.

The 24-year-old has scored eight times and set up his team-mates on five occasions. His tally of direct goal contributions (13) is bettered by only three Premier League players.

While Fernandes is behind his rival in that regard, the Portugal international shares plenty of similarities this season with Odegaard – particularly when creating chances for team-mates.

Odegaard's expected assists (xA) this season stands at 4.23, averaging 0.26 per 90 minutes, with Fernandes tallying an almost identical 0.27 per 90 (4.89 xA).

Fernandes (2.2) and Odegaard (2.6) are close too in the number of chances created per 90 minutes, as well as progressive passes (4.9 per 90 for Fernandes, 4.4 for Odegaard).

The pair also rank among the top six players in the Premier League for attacking sequence involvements from open play, Fernandes standing top of the pile with 128 while Odegaard comes sixth with 102.

That puts Odegaard narrowly ahead of team-mates Bukayo Saka (98) and Gabriel Martinelli (97), evidence the Gunners are sharing the attacking burden more widely.

United are seemingly more reliant on Fernandes' involvement – his 49 chances created is 24 more than any of his club-mates.

Leading by example

Arsenal have hardly lacked a creative midfielder down the years. They boasted Mesut Ozil, another former Madrid player, previously, but fan frustration towards the World Cup winner eventually grew to a perceived reluctance to shoot and instead look for an extra pass to create a goal, while the German's languid playing style also drew criticism.

Prior to this campaign, Odegaard was perceived as also attempting to play an extra pass where the option to shoot was on. This term, though, he has taken a more direct approach, and he is Arsenal's leading goalscorer in the top flight.

A shooting accuracy of 60.71 per cent puts him ahead of Gabriel Jesus (54.05) and Saka (48), while just narrowly behind Martinelli (62.07).

Odegaard also has the best shot conversion rate of the quartet (19.05 per cent) and averages a goal every 179 minutes in the Premier League, again higher than the others in Arsenal's first-choice attack.

His willingness to shoot is made clear when compared to his fellow Premier League midfielders, with only Bryan Mbeumo (29), Kevin De Bruyne (30), Harvey Barnes (31) and Kai Havertz (31), who is often utilised as a forward at Chelsea, trying their luck on more occasions – though none of those four have a better minutes-to-goal ratio than the Arsenal man.

Captain Fernandes

In contrast to Odegaard, Fernandes has not taken on the role of club captain on a full-time basis but has been called upon regularly by Ten Hag this season, with Harry Maguire out of favour.

Fernandes has captained United in 14 of their 19 league games, with Maguire and the now departed Cristiano Ronaldo taking the armband for the other five matches, and United perform far better when the former Sporting CP midfielder is in the role.

United have won 71 per cent of their matches with Fernandes as captain (10 of 14), losing just once, compared to a 40 per cent win percentage without him wearing the armband – winning two and losing three of those five games.

With Fernandes as captain, United have scored more goals per game and conceded less per game than with Maguire or Ronaldo in the role. Perhaps the Portugal international's influence on the team stems further than just his numbers in the final third.

Now Ronaldo is out of the picture, Fernandes' opportunities with the armband should increase, particularly if Maguire fails to win back favour, and that will serve as a positive for United's push to enter the title picture.

Come Sunday, whoever can come out on top in the battle between the two number eights might just win the game.

Michael Olise's spectacular stoppage-time free-kick ended Manchester United's nine-match winning run as Crystal Palace held them to a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park.

United looked destined to go second in the Premier League thanks to Bruno Fernandes' first-half opener but ultimately paid the price for their apparent decision to sit on the narrow lead.

Although it was United who survived the game's first scare when Palace hit the crossbar in the 40th minute, they were deserved leaders as Bruno Fernandes netted on the stroke of half-time.

But they committed far fewer bodies to attack in the second period and Olise made them pay, denying United the chance to enter the top two for the first time since September 2021.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag commended Bruno Fernandes for his mastery of an unorthodox role in Saturday's derby win as the Red Devils look to build on their momentum against Crystal Palace.

Fernandes scored the controversial equaliser against Manchester City at Old Trafford and was named Player of the Match for his tireless performance.

Although usually deployed in a central role, Fernandes spent much of the game out wide, tracking back to help Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the first half before switching to the left after Anthony Martial's half-time withdrawal.

Fernandes was also tasked with looking for early passes over the City defence, and this tactic helped United create a couple of openings in the first 45.

The Portugal midfielder will likely return to a more familiar position for Wednesday's trip to Selhurst Park, but Ten Hag was keen to acknowledge the effectiveness of Fernandes in what was a statement victory.

"The idea was with Bruno on the right wing, especially when defending," he said. "I think we defended as usual, but in possession [Fernandes] had a role to come in between the lines, to bring an extra player there, to bring the opponent problems and hesitation and confusion.

"He played the role really brilliant, on the right and on the left. I think the rest of the team adapted good to the situation.

"We had really good breaks by finding the free man, and Bruno was important in that role, and he was important in pressing as well.

"I didn't know he was Man of the Match, but he was my Man of the Match, definitely."

Beating City lifted United to within a point of the defending champions, with the win leaving many to declare Ten Hag's side as genuine title challengers.

The gravity of the result was not lost on Ten Hag, who was adamant the team needed to be allowed to celebrate it.

"Every win you have to celebrate," Ten Hag continued. "You work so hard for such momentum, and every win that is so great in top football, you can't not celebrate. You kill the energy [if you do not celebrate].

"We have to celebrate, but after we settle down after 24 hours. We move on to the next game, and to get in the right rhythm. Every third day we have to deliver, and the players have to get in right rhythm, physically and mentally, to be ready for the next game."

One player who would appear to be a doubt is Martial, who could only manage 45 minutes on Saturday.

However, Ten Hag suggested his withdrawal was about preventing injury rather than being a response to a new problem.

He added: "I hoped to avoid him getting injured. He was complaining, that's why he also didn't train in the week, he was a question mark.

"We decided, and he did as well, that he was also able to start, because I knew to start in this game was so important, especially because he's so good in pressing, he's a big element in our pressing, and he did that really well before half-time, but he was not able to go 100 per cent and that's what you need.

"To avoid getting injured, we took him off, but it had an impact on our game, a negative impact after half-time."

Bruno Fernandes insists he was not taking a swipe at Cristiano Ronaldo when describing Manchester United as "a proper team" following the superstar forward's exit.

Portugal international Fernandes struck a controversial equaliser against Manchester City on Saturday before Marcus Rashford earned a 2-1 comeback victory for United at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag's side have now won nine matches in a row – seven of those since Ronaldo's high-profile exit in November – in what is their best league run since January 2017.

It has been quite the turnaround for United, who lost their opening two matches against Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion but are now up in third place.

Speaking to BT Sport after United's latest win, Fernandes said: "We used to be individuals, now we are a team. You can see a proper team that works for each other."

Those comments were perceived as being a dig at international colleague Ronaldo, but Fernandes took to Instagram later on Saturday to clarify what he meant.

"I know it's difficult to see Manchester United doing well, [but I] don't have anything to [say] about us apart [from] good things," he posted. "Don't use my name to attack Cristiano.

"Cristiano was part of our team for half the season and as I said in many interviews, everyone since [the win against] Liverpool has been amazing and acting like a proper team."

Fernandes, who now has four goals and four assists in 26 games this season, added: "You can see the results. We carry on!"

Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr earlier this month after his United contract was terminated by mutual consent following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has yet to make his debut for his new club due to a two-match domestic ban carried over from his time with United.

Ten Hag's in-form side are back in Premier League action on Wednesday with a trip to Crystal Palace.

Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji described the decision to not disallow Manchester United's first goal in Saturday's derby as a "joke".

Jack Grealish had seemingly set City en route to three points with his second-half opener, but Bruno Fernandes levelled in contentious fashion before Marcus Rashford clinched a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.

City were furious with United's leveller because Rashford, who was offside, approached the ball but allowed Fernandes to take the shot.

The flag was initially raised to signal offside against Rashford, but referee Stuart Attwell overturned the decision having spoken to his assistant Darren Cann.

The fact Rashford opted against touching the ball and that he technically did not impede Akanji meant the England forward was not deemed to be interfering with play, therefore the goal counted.

Attwell's decision caused a stir on social media, with former professionals among those questioning the outcome, and Akanji is adamant it was the incorrect call.

"For me, the first goal is a joke that it's going to be allowed like this," he told the BBC.

"In that situation, I see Rashford is clearly offside, so I play him offside. He runs really to the last second and he stops when the ball is in front of him.

"He's right in front of Edi [Ederson] to score the goal and then he stops because Bruno is calling him from behind that he [Fernandes] is not in an offside position.

"I understand that he doesn't touch the ball, but he runs for like 30 metres, he's chasing the ball and then he stops. For me, it's clearly offside."

Defeat for City leaves them just a point above United and gives Arsenal the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points if they beat Tottenham in Sunday's north London derby.

Bruno Fernandes feels Manchester United are a "proper team" again following their dramatic 2-1 win against Manchester City at Old Trafford.

The Portugal international struck the equaliser to cancel out Jack Grealish's opener before Marcus Rashford hit the winner four minutes later to put United just a point behind City in the Premier League standings.

United's win maintains a superb record since August 22, when victory over Liverpool gave them their first win of the season. They have amassed 38 points since, with no other team in the top-flight having picked up more in that spell.

Ten Hag's side have also tallied seven consecutive victories across all competitions since returning from the mid-season break, which Fernandes thinks has been helped by their improving unity.

"I said before the game we look like a team now. Some time ago, sometimes each one of us was looking for ourselves. Now you see a proper team playing for each other," he told BT Sport.

Fernandes is not getting carried away about the proximity to City, however, pointing out it will mean little if United's momentum drops.

"[Being a point behind City] doesn't matter for us," he added. "We have to look forward to the next game.

"If you don't keep winning, they'll go [City will move ahead]. We'll celebrate a big win but from [Sunday] our focus has to be on the next game."

United's second-half response was aided by the introduction of Alejandro Garnacho, who assisted Rashford's winner, and the England forward praised the work of his attacking colleagues.

"The options we've got coming off the bench, we've had injuries this year with our forward line, and everyone has played out of position. Bruno played out of position today," he said.

"You can see everyone is putting a shift in. When you have players like Alejandro, young, hungry, willing to come on and make a difference, anything is possible."

United are next in action at struggling Crystal Palace on Wednesday, before a trip to league leaders Arsenal.

Bruno Fernandes wanted assurances from Manchester United over the club's future before he signed his new contract.

Fernandes penned a fresh deal with the club in April of last year, keeping him at Old Trafford until at least 2026.

The midfielder has been a key man for United since arriving from Sporting CP in 2020, scoring 38 goals and registering 28 assists in 104 Premier League appearances.

But his time at the club has come during a tumultuous period, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sacked early last season and interim boss Ralf Rangnick coming in to take over the remainder of the campaign, before Erik ten Hag was announced as the new manager from the start of this term.

Fernandes revealed that, prior to signing his extension, he spoke to football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher after becoming disillusioned with the club's progress.

"I had a conversation last year with the club when everyone knew that Ralf was not the coach for the future," the Portugal international said. "I said I want to be a solution for the club, I want to be helpful for the club, but I also want to know where we are going.

"Is there a plan? Is there a future? This was before I signed my new contract because I said to the club, obviously money is important, no one can hide that, you always want to have the best for yourself.

"But at that time, for me I said 'I'm on good money, I don't want a new contract without knowing that we have a good future in the club'.

"I want to know where we are going. I want to know just as a club, do you think we have a future? Do you have a plan for the future? What are your thoughts on where we can go? What does the club want?

"Does the club want to achieve trophies or does the club want to build something to go to the Champions League? Because for me, that's not enough and the club demands more, the history of this club, the quality of the players we have, it demands more than just being here and fighting for fourth place.

"The club has said they have a plan, this is what they want, we agree with you that the level of the club has to be better than it has been in the past."

Ten Hag's arrival has brought new-found positivity for United's future, with the former Ajax boss overcoming a tough start to lead his team into fourth in the Premier League as they look to finish the campaign in the Champions League qualification spots.

United are also the only English club left to be fighting on four fronts, with the Red Devils still bidding for silverware in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and the Europa League alongside their Premier League exploits.

Fernandes has not won a trophy since joining United, but he remains hopeful he can break that duck this season, explaining: "I came to the club and my aim is winning trophies, because I know how big this club is and I know how big we can still be and achieve good things and big things.

"We don't have to win all the trophies, but we have to fight for the trophies and as a club and the quality of players, we have the quality to do that and we've been showing that, so I just want to know if this is the future.

"Now probably you can see a team that has a way to play that convinces the fans, convinces the players, it is the right one and one that can win games. You go to every game and the feeling you have now is that we are not afraid to play against anyone."

After a week's break for the FA Cup, the Premier League is back with a full round of fixtures this weekend – in fact, some teams have midweek games too.

As such, fantasy football managers turn their attention back to team selections, transfers and captain choices.

Using Opta data, Stats Perform has picked out four options that might be worth your consideration…

Dean Henderson (Nottingham Forest v Leicester City)

Forest endured a pretty brutal reality check upon their long-awaited return to the Premier League, but things have started looking up in the past few weeks.

Henderson has undoubtedly been a shrewd addition between the posts and his recent form reflects Forest's general improvement.

Four of his five Premier League clean sheets this term have come in his seven most recent appearances, while Forest have collectively restricted their opponents to two or fewer shots on target in four of their past five outings.

Sven Botman (Newcastle United v Fulham)

Newcastle have excelled in many areas this term, hence their position in the top four. Defensively they have been solid, and Botman has more than played his part.

Eddie Howe's men have kept a clean sheet in each of their past four league games, with Botman playing at least 87 minutes in all of them.

Only four players have contributed to more clean sheets than his seven this season, and another will see the Magpies record five successive top-flight shutouts for the first time.

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United v Manchester City)

Granted, Fernandes is not exactly an "out there" selection, so this is more of a reminder of the value he can represent.

For starters, he is in good form having provided an assist in each of his past two league games, and for the season only Kevin De Bruyne (41) has created more chances in open play (40).

While he only has three assists, his 4.3 expected assists is the third best in the division, suggesting his team-mates have not fully made the most of his craft.

But with Marcus Rashford in such form and a big game against City – following by a midweek trip to struggling Crystal Palace – up next, Fernandes will be a leading candidate to be decisive.

Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion v Liverpool)

From a slightly obvious pick to a real wildcard, but bear with us.

Ferguson has made a big impact at Brighton over the past few weeks. The 18-year-old has been involved in three goals across his past two games (two goals, one assist).

If he gets another goal against Liverpool at the weekend, he will be the youngest player (18 years and 87 days on Saturday) to score in three consecutive Premier League games since Michael Owen (18y, 12d).

Is it written in the stars?

When Fernando Santos called time on his eight-year stint as Portugal head coach after their 2022 World Cup quarter-final elimination, few would have correctly predicted his replacement.

Roberto Martinez also left his national team role after the tournament in Qatar, with Belgium disappointingly falling at the group stage.

The former Everton and Wigan Athletic boss took the Red Devils to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, before reaching the last eight of Euro 2020, being eliminated by the eventual winners in both.

Martinez finds himself in charge of A Selecao now after his appointment was confirmed on Monday, and there is plenty of work to be done.

Qualifiers for the 2024 European Championships get underway in March and with the talent at their disposal, Portugal must be fancied to be among the favourites for the tournament in Germany.

Stats Perform has taken a look at five things in Martinez's in-tray that he will need to consider if he is to find success with his new team.

Solve the Ronaldo conundrum

"Decisions have to be made on the pitch. I won't rush into decisions. I want to meet everyone, and from today I want to talk and meet all the players," Martinez said at his first press conference as Portugal coach.

"Cristiano [Ronaldo] is part of that list. He's had 19 years in the national team and deserves respect, let's talk. From there, it's up to me to make the best list for the European Championships."

Ronaldo has 118 goals in 196 caps for Portugal, undeniably an international record to be proud of, but he will be 38 years old when Martinez takes charge of his first game.

One of the new boss' biggest issues with Belgium was getting the best out of ageing stars, and with Portugal arguably looking far sharper when Ronaldo was benched in Qatar – hat-trick hero v Switzerland Goncalo Ramos in particular – perhaps now is the perfect time to allow the former Real Madrid and Juventus man to fully focus on his new adventure in Saudi Arabia and call time on his international career.

Getting the best out of Joao Felix

This is a problem Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is all too familiar with, hence why Joao Felix is being linked with a loan move to the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal instead of lighting up LaLiga on a weekly basis.

The 23-year-old has plenty of talent, but a lack of consistency belies the nine-figure fee Atletico paid Benfica for him back in 2019.

If Martinez chooses to move on from Ronaldo though, Joao Felix could find the space and responsibility to thrive at international level as part of a team where everyone would be expected to chip in.

Of players to have featured in at least 14 LaLiga games this season, only Mikel Merino, Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele average more than Joao Felix's 0.42 assists per 90.

Utilise Dias to build solid foundation

Arguably Martinez's main struggle by the end of his time with Belgium was managing a defence filled with players who were several years past their prime.

He will need to make sure that Portugal maintain freshness there as a good defence will always give you a chance in international competitions, such as when Portugal conceded just once in four knockout games on their way to winning Euro 2016.

One key decision could be taken out of his hands, with Pepe expected to announce his retirement from international football, but in Ruben Dias, Martinez has the perfect figure to build his defence around.

The Manchester City centre-back is one of the best in Europe and has shown under Pep Guardiola he can also be relied upon in a backline that pushes high to close space and allow the attack to press from the front, something Martinez has often favoured when he has had the tools to do so.

Build around Bruno

Since his move to Man Utd in January 2020, Bruno Fernandes has proven himself to be one of the premier midfielders in Europe, and at the World Cup, he began to show that he can lead for his national team as well.

Only Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi (both 10) had more goal involvements than Fernandes' five (two goals, three assists) in Qatar, while no-one produced more than his three assists.

In the Premier League this season, only Kevin De Bruyne (41) has created more chances from open play than his 40, with the Manchester City man having played a game more, and with plenty of attacking firepower to aim for with Portugal, Fernandes can in theory fill his assist boots over the coming years under Martinez.

Make the most of Leao

One of those talents Fernandes should be working with is Rafael Leao, one of the most exciting attackers in Europe right now.

While Santos had plenty of other fine players to choose from, it was surprising to see Leao reduced to just substitute appearances in all five games at the World Cup, though he still produced two goals before Portugal were eventually eliminated by Morocco in the quarter-finals.

The Milan forward should really be Martinez's primary weapon on the left of the attack, especially if he can replicate the form that saw him win Serie A's player of the season award as the Rossoneri claimed the Scudetto in 2021-22.

Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford were on target as Manchester United eased into the EFL Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Burnley on Vincent Kompany's return to Old Trafford.

Manchester City great Kompany enjoyed numerous derby victories over United but his Red Devils reunion as Burnley manager ended in a fourth-round defeat on Wednesday.

Eriksen opened the scoring with a 27th-minute strike before Rashford doubled the advantage in the second half of United's first game since the World Cup.

Championship leaders Burnley impressed in parts but were punished for wasteful finishing as Erik Ten Hag's side booked their place in Thursday's last-eight draw.

Alejandro Garnacho squandered a glorious eighth-minute chance as Bailey Peacock-Farrell raced out to keep out a tame finish after Bruno Fernandes' incisive pass.

Fernandes provided another defence-splitting diagonal ball for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who acrobatically hooked across for Eriksen to tap home a deserved opener.

A curled Manuel Benson strike forced a smart save from Martin Dubravka, who almost turned into his own goal from the resulting corner, before Peacock-Farrell pushed away to deny Antony Martial at the other end.

Scott McTominay whipped a presentable opening over after the interval, but Rashford extended United's lead when his powerful run ended with a drilled finish into the bottom-left corner.

Darko Churlinov wastefully prodded wide on the counter-attack and Ashley Barnes blazed over as a profligate Burnley showing ensured there was no way back for the Clarets.

What does it mean? United back firing after World Cup

United ended the first half of the Premier League season positively to sit three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who have played a game more, before the World Cup break.

Ten Hag's side picked up where they left off, albeit they were unconvincing at times in the first half, as United progressed from a sixth straight EFL Cup clash against Burnley.

United had lost three of four home ties in the competition before this victory, though Ten Hag will still demand improvements with tougher tests to follow when the Premier League returns.

Fernandes shines after Ronaldo departure

Questions were often posed as to Fernandes' influence alongside Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at United before the latter had his contract terminated in November.

Playmaker Fernandes shone in his first game without Ronaldo as he created a game-leading three chances, including a pinpoint pass for Wan Bissaka's assist in the first half.

Deputy Dubravka unconvincing

David de Gea remains Ten Hag's first-choice goalkeeper and the Spain goalkeeper may have little concern over his position after an unconvincing performance from Dubravka.

The Slovakia international almost punched into his own net before a poor touch nearly gifted Burnley an equaliser and was caught out again in stoppage time, though those errors proved to be irrelevant.

What's next?

United return to Premier League action at home to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, when Burnley host Birmingham City in the Championship.

Bruno Fernandes acknowledged Morocco as deserving World Cup semi-finalists after seeing Portugal's campaign cut short by the Atlas Lions in Saturday's quarter-final.

Youssef En-Nesyri headed home the game's only goal as Morocco caused another upset at Al Thumama Stadium, becoming the first African side to reach the final four in tournament history.

The defeat provoked a furious reaction from some Portugal players, with Pepe describing the appointment of Argentinian referee Facundo Tello as "unacceptable" after he opted against awarding a penalty when Fernandes went down under a challenge from Achraf Hakimi.

The playmaker echoed Pepe's thoughts in the immediate aftermath of the loss, saying the officials had "tilted the field" against Fernando Santos' men. 

However, the Manchester United man struck a different tone when he took to social media on Sunday, praising Morocco's display and outlining his pride in Portugal's efforts.

"It's difficult to express in a few words everything we felt yesterday after the game ended," he wrote on Twitter. "Our dream fell apart when we did everything to make it end differently.

"It's sad and painful because representing our team means much more than just playing football.

"Despite the elimination, I am very proud to be Portuguese and even more proud of all those who represented our country with me in this World Cup.

"I would also like to congratulate the Moroccan team for the great game and for deservedly qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Cup."

Portugal's defeat to Walid Regragui's men was their first at the quarter-final stage of a World Cup, with the Selecao having progressed from their two previous last-eight ties at the tournament.

Bruno Fernandes hit out at the decision to appoint an Argentinian referee to Portugal's World Cup quarter-final against Morocco following their defeat, claiming: "They have clearly tilted the field against us".

Portugal were eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the tournament for the first time as Youssef En-Nesyri headed home the only goal of the game in the first half.

However, the performance of referee Facundo Tello was criticised by Portugal's players after the game, in which Fernandes was denied a penalty when he went down under a challenge from Achraf Hakimi.

Defender Pepe described Tello's appointment as "unacceptable" after Portugal's loss, and Fernandes concurred.

"I don't know if they are going to give the cup to Argentina. I'm going to say what I think and f*** them," Fernandes told reporters at the Al Thumama Stadium.

"It's very strange that a referee from a team that's still in the tournament referees us. They have clearly tilted the field against us.

"These referees do not officiate in the Champions League. They are not used to this type of game and this pace. 

"In the first half there is a clear penalty on me, without any doubt. Never in my life have I let myself fall when I was alone with the goalkeeper and could shoot at the goal."

Meanwhile, Portugal's World Cup campaign has been overshadowed by speculation concerning the future of Cristiano Ronaldo, who saw his Manchester United contract terminated last month after criticising the club in an interview with Piers Morgan.

Fernandes refuted the suggestion the talk surrounding Ronaldo had negatively impacted Portugal, saying: "Perhaps because of who he is, people click more often on his news.

"It wasn't for that reason that the team didn't go further. We simply couldn't beat Morocco."

Reflecting on Portugal's campaign in Qatar, Fernandes insisted there had been no issue with their application, preferring to credit Morocco's defensive organisation.

"There are some other teams that could be in the semi-finals," he said. "We had quality and commitment to go further. This was not lacking, but unfortunately football has these moments. 

"It is very difficult and sad to accept this. I can't say anything about my team-mates. They've all been fantastic since the beginning of the tournament.

"It is very difficult to express in words. It is a difficult and sad moment for us. We had the ambition and quality for more. There is always something else that we can leave on the field. 

"But I repeat, the delivery and commitment was total. The big difference was that we couldn't score goals, and they knew how to defend very well."