Bruno Fernandes showed his true colours by brutally shoving former Man Utd team-mate

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Bruno Fernandes' leadership qualities were evident in the aftermath of Manchester United's draw against Burnley . Even former teammate Hannibal Mejbri wasn't exempt from the midfielder's watchful eye as he tried to provoke Manuel Ugarte.

Despite the result not going in favour of Darren Fletcher in his debut match as caretaker coach, there were some positive aspects from the visit to Turf Moor. Ugarte was given a starting position alongside Casemiro in midfield and delivered one of his best performances of the season so far.

His precise pass to Patrick Dorgu ultimately led to Benjamin Sesko's second goal of the match for United to take their only lead. Ugarte displayed energy throughout his 84-minute stint before being substituted for the more offensive Shea Lacey.

Throughout the game, Ugarte had an ongoing feud with Mejbri, a product of United's academy who left the club in 2024. The situation threatened to escalate when Mejbri tried to get under Ugarte's skin just after the final whistle.

The Tunisia international appeared to be invading Ugarte's personal space, presumably in an attempt to intimidate him. However, footage captured by fans showed Fernandes stepping in to defuse the situation, pushing Mejbri away from his teammate.

United's captain cast a stern glance at his former comrade as he guided Ugarte towards the tunnel, maintaining a firm hand on his shoulder the entire time. Lisandro Martinez also expressed his disapproval and seemed to deliver a more verbal rebuke to Mejbri as the two groups separated.

Earlier in the match, Ugarte had mockingly patted Mejbri on the back after he received a yellow card for diving. From that angle, it's understandable why he'd be keen to celebrate after Burnley emerged as the happier side following the draw.

The 22-year-old has long been regarded as something of a fiery character on the pitch. There were once expectations he'd become the backbone of United's midfield before his transfer to Burnley 18 months ago for an initial sum of around £5.5million.

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As for Fernandes, the Portugal international was substituted on the hour mark for Mason Mount . Fernandes had only just recovered from a rare 17-day spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring problem, and United legend Fletcher confirmed this had always been the intention.

"I didn't want to take Bruno Fernandes off in that game," said the caretaker manager after the match. "But that was the plan from the club, from the medical [staff], from the coaches.

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"Bruno had an injury, that we have to respect, and it's a long season as well. So, it's disappointing, but that was the plan before the game and we knew that was going to happen."

Jaidon Anthony's spectacular equaliser earned Burnley a memorable point in what was a heated clash. However, Mejbri might be more cautious when choosing his fights against his former team in the future.

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