Manchester United legends symbolise the club's rich historical Premier League dominance.
Rooney, Cantona, Scholes, Ronaldo, Best - all magical footballers that could change games and, crucially, win them.
However, No United player, no matter how good, has had to shoulder such responsibility as much as Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese midfielder has been the talisman ever since arriving at Old Trafford in January 2020 and despite often being the victim of frequent criticism, he always seems to come up with the goods.
Fernandes doesn't have the same level as luxury as the previously mentioned United stars. He doesn't have the privilege of combining with other players excelling in the team.
He's often had to carry them himself even if it's been disjointed, disinterested and in disarray.
In Ruben Amorim’s own words, performances are ‘improving’. They have shown more fight and resilience since the mid-February loss to Tottenham.
And Fernandes’ form has been a catalyst for this.
Despite being in a deeper midfield role, United’s captain has six goal involvements in his last four league games alongside a hat-trick against Real Sociedad which sent the Red Devils through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
As usual, Fernandes has come through when they’ve needed him the most, amid an injury crisis with players like Amad Diallo and Lisandro Martinez, who were coming to life under Amorim, currently out injured.
It wasn't long ago that Fernandes' petulance and temperament were being questioned, particularly after the red card vs Wolves in December.
But since the turn of the year, he has been a talismanic presence.
So, what’s changed?
Set-piece improvement
Fernandes has always been the club's set-piece taker but they haven't delivered the best results. Not until this marked improvement of recent weeks.
In the last four league games, United have scored five goals from set-pieces. That is a remarkable upgrade after scoring just one in the 13 matches before.
There's been more of an effort to make better use of dead balls.
Three of his deliveries resulted in goals vs Ipswich and at other crucial moments, most notably against Arsenal and Everton when United were under the cosh, Fernandes scored directly from them.
The Everton free-kick was a huge moment in particular as it sparked a comeback from the brink - they’d looked all over the place before the goal, crumbling in front of a hostile crowd at Goodison Park.
A benefit of a player like Fernandes being unfazed by pressure means he will deliver in big moments and now, more than ever, United have needed him to.
Operating in a deeper role
It's suited Fernandes and the team in recent games against Ipswich (as they were down to 10 men) and Arsenal, Amorim opted to play more of a mid/low-block and counter as opposed to getting the team adapted to his dogmatic 3-5-2/3-4-3 formation.
We've seen several coaches at United use this style as Fernandes can then play balls in behind for attackers on the counter and give his all defensively.
He’s becoming more of a box-to-box midfielder under Amorim as he has the lungs and energy to do so, while also playing passes from deep.
He pops up all over the pitch and has been paired with Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo in this role.
The presence in the central midfield role has seen a larger share of his minutes played under Amorim despite occasional appearances in the front three.
In a composed, man-of-the-match performance vs Liverpool, Fernandes, on paper, was noted down as being in the left forward position, but he dropped deep often, linking up play and demonstrating a calmer aspect to his game.
It's a credit to his versatility and Amorim's faith in him that he's performing the role more and, crucially, can execute it well.
The conundrum for Amorim is getting a similar performance from Fernandes without losing his canny ability to pop up in attacking areas.
Ultimately, he remains United’s best decision-maker in attacks and you’d want him higher up the pitch.
The Liverpool performance highlights a possibility whereby Fernandes is ostensibly in the front three and dropped deep to drag players out, but at the moment with Mainoo injured and Ugarte being bedded back into the team slowly, Fernandes will likely remain in the central midfield position.
The games from late February to March indicate he’s starting to learn how to still be a threat in the position, aiming to get on the end of moves that he starts.
It’s also made easier if he has a partner next to him who can play line-breaking passes from deep as Casemiro did vs Real Sociedad.
One pushes up and the other stays and sits.
Irrespective of the positional change, Fernandes has found new ways to still be a threat and showcase that he isn’t just a player who relies on shooting off Hollywood ball after Hollywood ball.
We must acknowledge that United's last three wins have come against Ipswich, Leicester and a poor Real Sociedad side.
But regardless of the opposition, it has given them a much-needed boost heading into the international break - they have Fernandes to thank for it.
Through criticism, the toughest of situations and the direst of seasons, Fernandes is still the one dragging Manchester United through it by sheer force of will.
Whatever the circumstance, however big the pressure, he has given his all despite the club not being where it should be.
Fernandes isn't the hero Manchester United deserve, but he is the one they so desperately need.
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