Erik ten Hag has branded criticism of Bruno Fernandes as "crazy" after the midfielder scored Manchester United's winner against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Fernandes faced questions about whether he should captain United again in the aftermath of the 7-0 defeat to Liverpool in March.
Ten Hag defended the Portugal international at the time and took the opportunity to do so again after he helped United to a vital victory in the race for the top four.
"He's so tough, a couple of weeks ago there were questions about his captaincy, it's crazy," Ten Hag told his postmatch news conference.
"He's such a big leader. He gives so much energy to the team. His determination, his passion, his resilience; we need such players if you want to win games and make trophies."
