Exclusive: Bruno on awards, fans and leadership

Discussing his memorable strike in the Champions League clash at Old Trafford, he continued: “I think it was a beautiful goal. It’s difficult when the ball bounces like that, normally you get too much power on the ball and it goes straightaway into the stands! It was a good goal, of course it’s really important for me as it gives me more confidence.

“The most important thing is goals for the team and helping the team take points. I think every player thinks in the same way, we need to look for the team and doing the right things. When we have to shoot we shoot, when we have to pass we pass. The most important thing all the time is the team.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently praised Fernandes for the influence and impact he’s had on the club and other players since joining in January and our Portuguese magnifico insists his leadership qualities are something that are simply an organic part of his persona.

“I think it’s something natural in me,” he said. “I don’t do anything like saying ‘I want to be a leader or I want to do things in a different way to someone’ it’s the natural way I have. It’s something that’s in my game. Sometimes you have to improve also on this because you need leadership from different players in different modes.

“For me the point is helping everyone with my voice when I can and also with my energy and everything I do in the game to help the team. The most important thing for me is helping my team-mates in any way I can, if it’s with my voice then it’s with my voice, if it’s with my energy then it’s with my energy.”