"That clarity is good for the team" - Dwight Yorke believes Erik ten Hag has already decided next Manchester United captain after Harry Maguire 

Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke believes Erik ten Hag has already decided to permanently hand the club captaincy from Harry Maguire to Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes has captained the Red Devils in the absence of Maguire, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury,

The United skipper picked up the knock on international duty with England on 26 September in a 3-3 draw with Germany in the UEFA Nations League.

He made five appearances for Manchester United before the injury.

Meanwhile, Fernandes has impressed in the role, showcasing his passion and leadership.

He was superb in the role in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on 22 October and 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on 19 October.

Yorke touched on Fernandes' performance as captain, explaining how he has performed with the armband (via Express):

“Before he [Fernandes] was the stand-in captain, which wasn’t a problem,"

He continued,

"I think with the Maguire scenario, looking from the outside in at the club without knowing all the details, I think he's been told he's going to be the captain going forward. When a manager tells you something like that, then that weight comes off."

Yorke has suggested that Fernandes now knows he is the permanent captain, which has seen an upturn in form shown by the Portuguese midfielder.

He has made 15 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and contributing as many assists.

Yorke concluded:

“So now he's thinking, ‘Right, this is my new role’. That clarity is good for the team and enables him to go out and do what he needs to do. Obviously, I wouldn’t expect this to be an official announcement this season with Maguire at the club, but perhaps the manager has had a word with him and that has given him the confidence he needed as a player.”

---

Maguire's woes at Manchester United continue as uncertainty grows over his spot in Ten Hag's side

Maguire has struggled for form

Maguire has found himself victimized throughout his time at Manchester United following his £78.3 million move from Leicester City in 2019.

Often the scapegoat for when Manchester United falter, speculation is growing over the player's future as he falls further down the pecking order under Ten Hag.

His injury came at a time when he was underperforming for the Red Devils and fans were calling for him to be dropped.

The three games he has started this season have all been defeats.

These included a 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad, a 4-0 thrashing to Brentford and a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Englishman's lack of form proved problematic and he was soon dropped by Ten Hag with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez forging a formidable partnership.

United have gone on to win seven of their nine matches with the duo starting.

Maguire has three years remaining on his current contract at Old Trafford but speculation grows over his future with the club.