Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag has lauded his captain Bruno Fernandes after their much-needed 1-0 win against Fulham at the Craven Cottage on Saturday in the Premier League. It looked like both teams will share the spoils, but the Portuguese scored in the stoppage time with a brilliant kick after Fulham defenders failed to clear the ball.

Fernandes was playing his 200th match for Manchester United and he was able to deliver a crucial goal at the fag end. Earlier, Scott McTominay’s goal was disallowed because of offside on review.

The Dutchman said that Fernandes has been leading from the front and he is happy with the way he is playing and marshaling the troop.

“From the moment I made him captain he did this [win games],” Ten Hag told a post-match news conference.

“Always when he is playing, he is giving energy and setting the example. And you see the way he is pressing, the way he is counter pressing. The way he makes recovery runs. He is absolutely the example and he is taking responsibility all the time. On and off the pitch.

“He takes responsibility by scoring important goals but also in how he is always wanting the ball and always wanting to create. I’m happy with my captain.”

Ten Hag revealed that Marcus Rashford could not take part against Fulham after he failed to clear the fitness test.

“He had some complaints after the training,” said Ten Hag. “He travelled with us but today the complaints were that much that he couldn’t start. It was a risk to start him because we might lose him over more weeks.

“So we didn’t want to go with this risk because we have many more important games after today.”

Manchester United will next take on Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League at the Parken on Wednesday.