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Thierry Henry has remarked that Bruno Fernandes 'killed' one of his Manchester United teammates during the closing stages of their 3-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Arsenal legend also came up with a new nickname for the Portuguese midfielder, praising him for an 'outstanding' season with the Red Devils.

A new nickname for the captain

Following Fernandes’ impressive performance against Aston Villa, Henry gave the Manchester United captain a new title. Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, the former Premier League star referred to him as 'Braino Fernandes', explaining that the midfielder’s brilliance stems from his exceptional mental sharpness rather than physical pace alone.

High praise for United’s driving force

Fernandes registered two assists in the match, taking his total to 16 for the season — a new record for the club in a single Premier League campaign. He is now closing in on the all-time record of 20 assists in one season, jointly held by Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Praising the Portugal international, Henry said: “If you can control the speed of your brain, you’ll be quicker than anyone else on the pitch — and that’s exactly what this guy possesses in abundance.

“I’ve said it before, he doesn’t just play football, he thinks football. He showed it again at the weekend. In the second half, he was like that kid in school who’s better than everyone else — he just picked up the ball and played it forward every time he could. My name for him now is Braino Fernandes because he thinks on the pitch, and I love that.”

The Amad Diallo moment

Late in the match, Fernandes was seen angrily shouting at young winger Amad Diallo. Henry pointed to that exchange as a sign of true leadership, saying it showed Fernandes’ commitment to demanding high standards from his teammates even when the result was secure.

“He wanted the ball [from Amad Diallo], he wanted the ball,” Henry explained. “He eventually got it, but by then he was flat-footed. He wanted the ball from Amad, not from Manuel Ugarte, and I wanted to highlight that because it was 3-1 with just minutes remaining.

“He really went after Amad Diallo for a good seven seconds! That’s just how he is — he’ll argue with his father or anyone if needed, but he always finds a way. Even in victory, he remains demanding. That’s what leadership looks like. Look at him, still going at Amad! He didn’t like it one bit.”

United’s race for a top-three finish

The win over Aston Villa kept Manchester United in third place in the Premier League standings with 54 points from 30 matches — three points clear of Villa in fourth. The Red Devils remain seven points behind second-placed Manchester City, who have eight games left. Up next, United will visit Bournemouth on Friday in their final fixture before the international break.