Bruno Fernandes silences critics with man of the match display after Liverpool shame

Bruno Fernandes was public enemy number one at Old Trafford just a few days ago … what a way to respond.

The Portugal international put the misery of Sunday's 7-0 defeat to Liverpool firmly behind him by running the show against Real Betis, scoring one and setting up two as Manchester United put one foot in the Europa League quarter-finals with an emphatic 4-1 win.

He was the scapegoat at Anfield, and deservedly so after whinging and play-acting his way through the contest, but it didn't take him long to remind fans of his more appealing qualities.

Both of his assists on the night were relatively simple, two short passes that preceded extraordinarily-good finishes, but they typified his role as the team's metronome, constantly tapping, moving, linking.

His goal, meanwhile, came via an uncharacteristic bullet of a header, and was capped off with a rather apt covering of the ears celebration before his visibly delighted team-mates rushed over to congratulate him.

Fans on social media lapped it all up, with one labelling Fernandes "an absolute machine.

"What a performance from Bruno, an absolute machine, never doubted him," one Red Devils fan tweeted.

Another wrote: "Egg on a lot of United fans’ faces after tonight re: Bruno Fernandes. He’s been his usual creative tour de force. Some were calling for his head after the Liverpool game. I shudder to think where we’d be without him over the last few seasons."

Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with a thunderous drive into the roof of the net after just six minutes before United were pegged back by on-loan Leicester forward Ayoze Perez.

Antony restored the home side's lead with a gorgeous curling effort from the edge of the box just after the restart, and Fernandes' header minutes later put United out of sight. Wout Weghorst then added a fourth with eight minutes to go, poking home from close range after Scott McTominay's shot was parried into his path.