Which Old Trafford occasion still gives Bruno goosebumps?

The Manchester United fans lapped up the second coming of the Portugal superstar and he did not disappoint against Newcastle United, scoring twice in a 4-1 win.

Fernandes, speaking as part of a special interview, admitted he still gets goosebumps thinking about the atmosphere that day, and also spoke about other United legends of the past, including how much he would have loved playing alongside Michael Carrick in the head coach's prime.

"Cristiano is an easy one for me," he said, when asked about players he looks up to. "He is Portuguese and everyone from 2000 – I was born in 1994 – from that age upwards, everyone was looking at him and seeing him.

"He won the Ballon d'Or with the club, which was something very special. All the fans here, when he came back, will never forget that day, when he comes back against Newcastle.

"It was an unforgettable day, he comes back, scores two goals and looks like he never left and everything. The atmosphere in the stadium was crazy that day, probably the best one I have experienced. Just the fact of Cristiano coming back, not the rest, but what was created around that, him getting into the pitch, the way he was presented, everything gives goosebumps still to me."

Fernandes took over the captain's armband for Portugal when Ronaldo was absent due to injury during the international break but will hope to be reunited with his former club team-mate at the World Cup finals this summer.

When it comes to other ex-Reds he really respects, Bruno reiterated an affection for Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, while appreciating the qualities of his current boss, Carrick.

"Obviously, I think, at the club, for me, luckily the club had a lot of good midfielders to look up to," he recalled. "I think, from my time, probably I would say Roy Keane and Paul Scholes were the main pillars of the team.

"Then later on, I would say, not because he's my manager now, but I have said this before already, Michael Carrick is someone I would have loved to play together with. Just because I have trained with him, when he was with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] at the time.

"Sometimes, he would come to the pitch and train with us and his quality of pass between the lines, breaking the lines, is something unbelievable," he enthused.

"For a no.10, how quick a midfielder can be to control the ball and pass it forward, it will give you time and space to think about either control it or flick it, to make a decision. He was always on my team [in training] and I think these were the kind of players."

Another of our legendary captains, Keane, had an abrasive style which appeals to Fernandes, who appreciates that level of drive and determination, with a desire to get the most out of his colleagues.

"You talk about work-rate and players who did the most of themselves for the club and Roy Keane resembles that," Bruno added. "The fans always looked up to him, he had that desire to win and aggressiveness that Manchester United players should have. He was someone who was always looking to defend them [his team-mates].

"These players are probably the ones for me."