It's easy to get carried away by the success of Erik ten Hag's summer signings at Manchester United. They have added experience, creativity, and a winning mentality to the team this season, with many of them at the heart of the new-look side that has been assembled.
In particular, there has been an incredible midfield transformation. Casemiro took centre stage with his flawless display against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, and Christian Eriksen shone again with the way in which he helped dictate play while controlling the tempo of the match.
Those two new additions have added so much to the United side this season and rightfully deserve all the plaudits that come their way, though just as important has been the rather unsung role of Bruno Fernandes alongside them.
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The Portuguese playmaker very much remains the 'midfield magnifico' at Old Trafford, but he is shining in a more understated role this season, which is in itself a credit to United that they no longer rely on him so heavily.
Fernandes is unfairly compared against his freakish first year and a half at United, in which he plundered a remarkable 40 goals and 18 assists in just 80 appearances.
Such an incredible output makes what has followed pale in comparison, and while there was certainly a drop-off in his level of impact, he is now just as important to the United side but in a different way.
With two fellow world-class midfielders alongside him, the 28-year-old is no longer the star performer, and there is far less expectation on him to win games on his own every week.
While he is still capable of doing so, it suits Fernandes much better that he can now take a more measured approach to matches, rather than feeling compelled to take risks in order to help his team win.
“I’m not getting as much goals and assists, but I’m playing much better and am more involved in the game than I was before," he said after beating Forest. "It’s more important that the team wins.”
His recent comments highlight his self-awareness of a perceived drop in form, as well as the elite mentality that has already made him such a success for United.
Fernandes is well aware of his lesser numbers this season, though in the last week he has made crucial contributions to both wins, something that numbers can't really do justice to.
It was he who carved open the Burnley defence with a Paul Scholes-esque pass to find Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the opening goal against Burnley, and he should have had two assists against Forest if not for poor finishing from Antony and Anthony Martial.
Given how frequently he has worn the armband this season, Fernandes is effectively the new club captain, and he is leading the side not only with his performances as a midfield orchestrator but also with the way he conducts himself.
The former Sporting star is still a vocal presence on the field, frequently barking instructions to his teammates, words that ring true given that he is now willing to do the dirty work himself.
While he remains a playmaker enticed by high-risk, high-reward plays, just like Scholes, he does so after first accumulating enough credits through his combative approach.
Against Forest, this manifested itself in the form of an audacious rabona pass to Fred in the closing stages of the game and an ambitious first-time shot from distance that nearly lobbed a retreating Wayne Hennessey. They were two feats of skill that few players would attempt, and they showed how confident he is in his own abilities.
Just as impressive were the key interceptions he made in the first-half of the match and the string of strong sliding tackles that helped United get a foothold in the encounter while it remained a close contest.
While there are still sparkling moments of individual brilliance, Fernandes has realised that less is often more when it comes to his own duties as part of a new-look midfield.
After being joined by two world-class partners in midfield, he hasn't looked out of place.
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