Bruno Fernandes has form for riling up the Premier League's elite - and he did it again on Monday night when he left Jurgen Klopp fuming on the touchline following Manchester United's shock 2-1 win over Liverpool.
After seeing his side finally muster a response after falling behind at Old Trafford, Klopp was left snarling in the closing stages of the match as a number of United players, including Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez, attempted to run down the clock.
Klopp was then caught having an animated post-match chat with Fernandes on the pitch after United clung on for a priceless victory. And although the Liverpool chief insisted that the pair simply had a "harmless conversation", it's clear that Fernandes managed to get under Klopp's skin.
Fernandes has become somewhat of a maligned figure at Old Trafford over the past 12 months. The 27-year-old was an instant hit after joining the club from Sporting Lisbon back in 2020 and was the heartbeat of the Manchester United side that finished second in the Premier League under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Unfortunately, Fernandes' influence has significantly waned since then. The midfielder has been regularly scrutinised for his passive performances, while his petulant body language has been pinpointed by fans and pundits alike on numerous occasions.
But the fiery midfield maestro was back to his best on Monday night against Manchester United's bitter rivals. He led by example on the pitch with a passionate performance to inspire his side to the first win of Erik ten Hag's reign - and the Dutchman will be desperate for Fernandes to replicate that feat in the coming weeks.
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Before the return of Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernandes thrived in his role as Manchester United's talisman to down some of the Premier League's other top bosses - most notably Pep Guardiola, who had a run-in with the midfielder back in 2020.
Fernandes inspired United to an unexpected 2-0 win over Manchester City to effectively end their opponent's title hopes. And he had the last laugh on Guardiola by shushing the City chief just minutes after a war of words on the touchline after United's late clincher.
With Fernandes seemingly at his best when he has a point to prove, the onus is now on Ten Hag to get his stand-in captain firing again on a regular basis as he bids to improve Manchester United's fortunes.
It's not a coincidence that Manchester United have bagged results against the two top managers in the Premier League in recent years when Fernandes has been at his fiery best - it's down to Ten Hag to harness that passion into performances.
