Next captain after Bruno: INEOS have struck gold on Man Utd's "warrior"
For the fourth time this season, Manchester United faced off against Leicester City on Sunday evening. For the fourth time this season, the Red Devils ran out winners.
Up against a man who had actually led United against the Foxes twice earlier in the campaign, in the form of Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Old Trafford side enjoyed a rare smooth outing in the Premier League, with the hosts already looking rather resigned to their relegation fate.
The nature of the opposition may suggest otherwise, but there were once again real signs of progress for the away side, having also hit Real Sociedad for four on Thursday night.
Spearheaded once again by midweek hat-trick hero, Bruno Fernandes, the visitors comfortably powered to a 3-0 win at the King Power Stadium, ensuring Ruben Amorim can head into the international break in positive mood – excluding the cruel injury blow to 18-year-old, Ayden Heaven.
The loss of the shining teenager was the obvious negative in a largely impressive night that saw both Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho end their respective goal droughts, although it was that man Fernandes who was – again – the pick of the bunch.
Bruno Fernandes' form in 2025
Whether Roy Keane was aware of what he was doing or not, the Irishman’s targeting of Fernandes – after stating that “talent is enough” late last month – appears to have lit a fire under the belly of the Portuguese.
It hadn’t been vintage Fernandes in the early months of the season, yet in 2025, in particular, the 30-year-old has been simply masterful, putting in a string of ‘captain’s performances’ from his new deep-lying role.
Whether it be at Anfield in January, or at Goodison in February – where the playmaker’s stunning free-kick kickstarted a late comeback – the former Sporting CP star has repeatedly delivered the goods in 2025, cementing his status as United’s talisman even under the new Amorim regime.
Now with 31 goals and assists to his name in just 44 games in 2024/25, the experienced midfielder has particularly come alive in recent weeks, registering six goal involvements in his last four league outings, while also scoring in the FA Cup clash with Fulham – alongside his treble in the Europa League.
As for his most recent appearance, the genius talent found Hojlund with a clever dinked pass over the top, before prodding the ball into the path of Garnacho in the second half, with both men duly converting.
To emphasise his rich vein of form even further, Fernandes rounded off proceedings with a goal of his own after sweeping home from Diogo Dalot’s pullback, making it eight goals and assists in the league in 2025 to date.
United’s number eight very much remains captain fantastic, although it looks as if INEOS and United have already found the perfect successor for the future.
Man Utd already have their next captain brewing
Fernandes’ merits as a captain have long been debated since he took the armband from Harry Maguire back in the summer of 2023, yet on current form, the question remains just where this side would be without him.
Still only 30 and something of a freak with regard to staying injury-free – having missed just three games in five years at the club – the one-time Udinese man may even have one eye on leading the club into their new stadium, amid the INEOS-led goal after making that transition ahead of the 2030/31 campaign.
That said, should the midfield maestro – who has just two years left to run on his current deal – opt to move on in the near future, the club may have found the perfect replacement as skipper, in the form of Matthijs de Ligt.
Signed from Bayern Munich over the summer on an initial £38.4m deal, the towering Dutchman endured a rocky start to life at Old Trafford, having notably been ripped apart by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher amid his shaky display against Tottenham Hotspur back in September.
To his credit, the former Ajax man has shaken off such moments, including his mad five minutes at Anfield in which he gave away a penalty and allowed Cody Gakpo to cut inside, to emerge as a real leader and “warrior” in Amorim’s ranks, as hailed by the United Stand’s Beth.
Stat (*per game)
Record
Games
27
Goals
2
Assists
0
Key passes*
0.2
Pass accuracy*
90%
Tackles*
1.0
Interceptions*
1.2
Total duels won*
63%
Aerial duels won*
66%
There have, of course, been mistakes still in the 25-year-old’s game, including his foul on Mikel Oyarzabal in midweek, but even the best make errors. Who can forget Rio Ferdinand inexplicably scooping the ball to Craig Bellamy in that 2009 Manchester Derby.
Now operating typically on the right side of a back three, De Ligt has put in a string of commanding displays of late, having been hailed by journalist Samuel Luckhurst for enjoying his “best game” in the FA Cup against Fulham, showcasing a combination of defensive aggression and ball-playing quality.
Captain of Ajax at the age of just 18, the experienced talent was also crucial away in San Sebastian after denying Orri Oskarsson with a crucial intervention, having again thwarted Facundo Buonanotte’s strike with a vital bloke on Sunday evening.
That outing at the King Power saw the £195k-per-week titan lauded for his ‘mini-revival’ of late by Luckhurst, who awarded the defender an 8/10 match rating, with it looking as if INEOS have struck gold on a player who is now worth around £44m, as per Football Transfers.
A true, old-fashioned defender who is a threat in both boxes – having scored two league goals this season – De Ligt is now stepping up at a crucial stage of the campaign, just as captains do.
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