Bruno Fernandes has picked out three Manchester United teammates he hopes steps up next season, wanting to see Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund shine.
Fernandes has been the standout player for the Red Devils yet again this season, winning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the third straight season.
It is the fourth time in six campaigns that the captain has won the player of the season prize but he says he would like to see his teammates beat him to it next year.
The Portuguese says that if he is not in line to win the award next year then it means the likes of Amad, Hojlund and Garnacho will have stepped up in their performances and started to outshine him.
Fernandes suggested it would not just be goals and assists that the forwards could improve on, but tackling and tracking back.
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‘I hope next year, I’m not involved in the names,’ Fernandes told CBS Sports of the shortlist for Manchester United’s player of the season.
‘Because that would mean that Amad has stepped up, Garnacho has stepped up, Rasmus has stepped up…all the players that play up front.
‘If they start scoring, start providing assists, start running backwards, tackling and everything they will have the attention and not me.
‘I would be the happiest person in the world because I am there to help my teammates and get the best from them, which makes the team better.’
Fernandes has aired his frustrations with his teammates underperforming already this season, notably on one of the few occasions the Red Devils have impressed.
When United left Anfield with a 2-2 draw against Liverpool in January, the skipper could only feel annoyed that performances only reach that level in the biggest games.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the draw at Liverpool, Fernandes said: ‘I’m pretty upset because if we show this today at Anfield against Liverpool that is first in the league, that is probably the outstanding team in the Premier League this season. Why can’t we do this every week?
‘It frustrates me because finally I did a proper performance overall and I think we need to be aware that we need much more from ourselves to get something from this season. We need to put some pride out because it isn’t enough for us.’
Suggesting simply effort has been the problem, he added: ‘We need to get this standard every game. I wasn’t worried about everyone putting in effort today because it’s Liverpool, everyone’s going to try and do their best.
‘I will probably be more worried about Southampton after this performance that we think was already good enough and it’s not because it’s going to be a really tough one again.
‘At the end of the day you need to put your effort in and that’s why we got something from this game today.
‘You can’t stop here. I think we have to bring this frustration to the next games. In a good way to understand that this is our level, if we can do it at Anfield today we have to do it every week.’