20 February 2023 , 13:28
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Bruno Fernandes teed up Jadon Sancho to fire Manchester United to a comfortable win over Leicester on Sunday - and then quipped that he was looking forward to the winger returning the favour in the future.
Fernandes, 28, has returned to form in recent weeks under the guidance of Erik ten Hag and grabbed two assists in the 3-0 win over the Foxes at the weekend to keep United in the Premier League title picture.
United's stand-in captain's brace of assists means he has now clocked up 10 in all competitions this term. And his slick one-two which led to Sancho's strike prompted the former Borussia Dortmund ace to joke that he 'owed' his teammate an assist in a light-hearted social media exchange.
In a post shared to his Instagram story, Sancho said: "I owe you an assist @brunofernandes8." Shortly after the comment, Fernandes replied with a joke of his own, quipping: "I will be waiting for that," complete with the eyes and laughing-face emojis.
Much like Fernandes, Sancho has also recaptured his form in recent weeks. The 22-year-old scored on his first Premier League appearance in almost four months in United's 2-2 draw with Leeds earlier this month and has benefited from a spell away from the first-team environment.
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Since that goal, Sancho has re-established himself in the United team. His strike against Leicester was his fifth in all competitions - meaning Sancho has already equalled the tally he managed in his debut season.
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Jadon Sancho was assisted by Bruno Fernandes in Sunday's win over Leicester City (Getty Images)He has also started the two subsequent games since his cameo against Leeds - including against Barcelona in the Europa League in midweek - before he was introduced from the bench at half-time in Sunday's win.
Sancho was influential in inspiring United to victory after a "rubbish" first-half performance, according to Ten Hag. The Dutchman opted to deploy Sancho in a No.10 position against the Foxes, with Fernandes nudged out to the right-hand side.
The tactical tweak paid dividends to leave United just three points behind Manchester City and five behind Arsenal in the title race - and Ten Hag hinted that Sancho could continue to be accommodated in a similar role going forward. Speaking after Sunday's match, he said: "I think we have done that before. You move Bruno out and create also a different dynamic in the team, that is what we intended to do.
"Jadon, I know he can play as a 10 as well. He can play as a winger, he can play as a 10, but often we mix it around and that is what I like. The position has to be occupied and it’s about the players keeping discipline to do that."