Bruno Fernandes delivers another Man Utd statement and again proves Ed Woodward right

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Bruno Fernandes put his dreams before dosh when deciding to turn down offers from Saudi Arabia. And it's safe to assume those aspirations stretch past winning three league games on the spin for Manchester United, or being in the top half of the table.

Or having to spend months on end without European football of some description. Let alone the Champions League variety. So a place in the sun, lining up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, will have been appealing.

But all of the above is what Fernandes chose ahead of some serious Saudi dollars in the summer. And no-one should be more grateful to him for doing so than Ruben Amorim.

Fernandes could have been forgiven for looking around him at the wreckage last season left behind at Old Trafford, and deciding he'd had enough. In recent times, Fernandes has run his blood to water on behalf of United. And got no reward for it whatsoever.

The 31-year-old has given his prime years to United, scoring 100 goals and contributing 84 assists. He's been voted 'Player of the Year' four times out of five.

And believe it or not, things could have been much worse for Amorim, had Fernandes not been around. United might have struggled to raise a pulse under Amorim, but Fernandes has still been the heartbeat of the team.

And it took the Portuguese less than two minutes to remind people of the fact at Old Trafford on Saturday night. When he ghosted into space and met a cross from Bryan Mbeumo, but sent his header wide.

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Moments later he was free again and set to pounce, had Matheus Cunha crossed to him, instead of attempting to score from an impossible angle. Fernandes was running the show again. Directing the traffic. Putting colleagues like Amad Diallo and Mbeumo into threatening positions with intelligent passes.

And on his 300th appearance for United, looking determined to celebrate the landmark occasion in style.

Chirping in the ear of referee Anthony Taylor, and those of his team-mates. Not least when Taylor decided to miss the most blatant penalty possible, when Maxim De Cuyper tripped Amad inside the box.

Forget Fernandes being too good to grace the Saudi Pro-League, because at times he looks too good to be stuck in this United side.

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When United were considering signing Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon back in 2019, the club's head of recruitment showed a video in a meeting of the midfielder kicking down the dressing room door back in Lisbon, having been sent off in a game against Boavista.

CEO at the time, Ed Woodward, 'loved' the passion of the incident. He thought it was what United needed, and was proved right because Fernandes was one of the best signings he ever made during his time running the club. That passion was on show when he ran over to Cunha to smack his chest in celebration at the Brazilian's opening goal.

Representing United still means a lot to him. Something which can't be said of others to have pulled on the famous red shirt in recent times. But there is no escaping the fact Fernandes remains in danger of being unfulfilled at Old Trafford.

He's spent almost six years there, and has just two domestic cups to his name. He's never had a sniff of winning a Premier League title, or the Champions League. Which is nowhere near good enough for someone of his abilities.

And it's difficult to see this changing.

Fernandes insists he won't discuss a new deal at United until after next summer's World Cup. But United bosses shouldn't give him a choice in the matter.

Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who watched this win over Brighton, shouldn't be waiting that long.

Just give Fernandes what he wants. He deserves that much.

Because the Saudis won't go away, while United's slim chances of winning something big will be reduced to zero, without Fernandes pushing the buttons.