Captain fantastic Bruno Fernandes is Man United’s own superhero… the new era at Old Trafford must be built around their Portuguese superstar, writes NATHAN SALT

At the very end, as fans headed for the exit, Jason Wilcox chuckled as he shared a brief conversation with Sir Dave Brailsford.

Wilcox, United’s newly-appointed technical director, was watching on at Old Trafford for the first time since his appointment became official last week.

The content of his conversation remains a mystery. But what he saw was, again, a team besieged by problems, but one that has its very own superhero in captain Bruno Fernandes. It is scary to think just where they would find themselves this season without him.

‘For all the chaos that surrounds Manchester United,’ Micah Richards pondered on Match of the Day last night, ‘I just think for a player to keep his composure and be able to perform at the level which is needed is fantastic.’

Here Manchester United found themselves down 2-1 at home to the worst team in the league just days on from blowing a 3-0 lead at Wembley against second tier Coventry City. The post-mortem promised to be ugly.

The Portuguese scored United’s second goal from the spot as the hosts drew level 

He then put United ahead in the second half with a superb long-range effort 

And just like he needed to that day, Fernandes would again put United on his back to turn things around. At Wembley it was a momentum-shifting penalty in the shootout, while on Wednesday night it was a goal-goal-assist sequence to take United from 2-1 down to 4-2 up.

He first slotted away a penalty for 2-2 after Harry Maguire was hauled down; then, he scored spectacularly from distance; he finished by teeing up Rasmus Hojlund with a pin-point cross across the box.

Fernandes has a warrior-like spirit that doesn’t win the credit it deserves. 

While Ten Hag was left to field another patched up team – he still only has one fit senior centre back available and was without Marcus Rashford for this one – Fernandes was again available to play, this time with some heavy strapping and bandaging on his right hand.

‘He shows his leadership,’ Ten Hag said. ‘But also with his energy, in his transition both ways, it is very important.

‘He tries to encourage the team. He is doing very well and we are very pleased with his performance and with his attitude.’

It would be easy to say that Fernandes finds himself reborn of late, only that would overlook the fact that he tops their scoring chart and assist chart for the entire season. 

That’s not by accident or solely recent.

Fernandes then set up Rasmus Hojlund (right) for United’s fourth goal of the evening

Despite Fernandes’ heroics, United were again largely unconvincing at Old Trafford 

In fact, no midfielder has been involved in more Premier League goals this season than Fernandes (26).

More? Of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, only Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (25), Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham (21) and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz (17) have scored more goals than him (15).

The difference is that as Manchester United captain Fernandes finds himself under the brightest spotlight in the game. Even his statistically great season isn’t enough to see him immune from criticism.

‘I’m really happy to score, but I want to win games more than score goals,’ Fernandes said.

‘It’s part of my role also, to score goals. But the main thing for me is winning games. Lately we haven’t won as many as we should have.

‘It’s part of the job. You can win eight or nine games in a row, and then as soon as you lose you know you will be criticised. Being a Manchester United player demands winning games.’

One of the biggest takeaways for Wilcox and Brailsford on Wednesday night is that any new and improved Manchester United team must be built around Fernandes.

Erik ten Hag’s team again showed all the familiar flows that have besieged them this season

Bottom of the table Sheffield United twice took the lead at Old Trafford on Wednesday night

United’s newly appointed technical director Jason Wilcox (left) was in attendance alongside Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford (right)

The Portuguese midfielder is a superstar talent and he simply needs similar-or-better quality around him to really allow him to flourish without burning out.

Fernandes’ to-do list has increasingly become more and more extensive.

He drops deep to start attacks, looks to break lines by driving with the ball, drift wide left or right to create extra space for others in the midfield, and then there is his finishing ability and his leadership skills, the latter best on show when teenage striker Ethan Wheatley came on.

Wheatley was introduced as the club’s 250th academy graduate to win a first team debut and after he high-fived Rasmus Hojlund, the man he was replacing, he was soon greeted by Fernandes, who was seen whispering in his ear.

‘He pulled me to the side and told me I’ve got nine minutes to try get you a goal,’ Wheatley later revealed to MUTV.

Fernandes has been Manchester United’s superman for weeks now, but even he couldn’t serve up a late goal for Wheatley on his and the club’s historic night.

He’s done more than enough, though, and it doesn’t even bear thinking about where Ten Hag’s charges would be without him.