Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has paid tribute to Bruno Fernandes, saying the midfielder "deserves to be in the history of the club" as he continues to act as his side's talisman in their hour of need. The 31-year-old led the Red Devils' charge towards a precious Premier League victory over Chelsea on Saturday, scoring the opening goal in a dramatic 2-1 win which saw both sides reduced to ten men.

Fernandes has occasionally faced criticism for his attitude

Fernandes chalked up a milestone against Chelsea, with his first-half strike taking his United goal tally up to 100 in all competitions in a near-six-year spell at Old Trafford which has saw him face occasional criticism for his fiery temperament.

AdvertisementAFPAmorim adamant Fernandes deserves praise after Chelsea win

While Amorim believes Fernandes "can play better" at times, the United head coach is adamant the captain equally deserves "all the praise" as he continues to produce when the club need him most.

Amorim lauds club captain Fernandes in his post-match comments

In his post-match press conference following the win over Chelsea, Amorim said of Fernandes: "He deserves all the praise. The most important thing is the influence he has on the squad. Sometimes he's not in the best position to be the main man in every game, but the point of the captain is to be the best he can be in every situation to help the team to be better. He's doing that. I think he can play better – but everyone can play better in our team. That guy deserves to be in the history of our club, not just for what he does but for what his team conquers."

Fernandes helps ease Old Trafford tension following difficult start

Fernandes’ efforts against Chelsea helped ease the tension surrounding United following a difficult start to the 2025-26 season. Amorim’s side headed into the match having won just one of their opening five games in all competitions, but victory over Chelsea saw them push up to 10th in the Premier League table.