Bruno Fernandes will need to 'lift his game even more' when Paul Pogba finally returns to the Manchester United team, according to captain Harry Maguire.
The Portugal star has been a revelation since his £68million move from Sporting Lisbon in January and was named the Premier League's Player of the Month for February after making an electric start.
There has been speculation that Fernandes' superb form could allow United to cash-in on wantaway midfielder Pogba, who has played only eight times in all competitions this season due to injury, when the transfer window reopens.
Maguire says Bruno Fernandes (left) has been 'brilliant' since joining United for £68million
Paul Pogba is closing in on a return to fitness after playing just eight games so far this season
But Maguire believes the duo, who are yet to play alongside each other due to the Frenchman's fitness issues, will push each other on to greater heights, and that Fernandes will need to improve if he is to keep his place in the starting XI.
Speaking to former United skipper Gary Neville on The Football Show on Sky Sports News, Maguire said: He [Fernandes] has been brilliant since he's come in, off the field, around the training field. He is a leader, he wants to win, everything he does.
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'He has been brought up with that attitude. He has given us that little bit more life, that little bit more creativity in the middle that we have missed over the years.
'It is a start. There are lots of aspects he wants to improve and I'm sure he will improve and get better for this club.
'We have Paul [Pogba] to come back and make him lift his game even more.
Fernandes will need to improve when Pogba returns to action, according to skipper Maguire
Maguire celebrates after scoring during an FA Cup victory over Tranmere back in January
'There are good competition for places in that central midfield now, they know every game they will have to be on their game to keep their spot and I'm sure we will see the benefits.'
Maguire also revealed that he and his team-mates are not satisfied with challenging for a place in the Champions League, and are already eyeing a title tilt under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer next season.
United were fifth in the table, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, when the season was shut down to the coronavirus outbreak.
'I think from the start of the season, we look a lot more like a team, we can see where we want to go, where we want to head,' Maguire added.
'When I first came to United, Ole said it is building process but we will get to where we want to be and I can see where we're heading and the style he wants to implement on our team.
Maguire believes United are getting better as boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continues his rebuild
'Don't get me wrong, there are lots of aspects we need to improve on to get to the top.
'We don't want to be challenging for this Champions League spot, we want to be challenging for titles. We know there is a lot of improvement to get there but we feel we are on the right track and eventually we will get there.'
United had been on excellent unbeaten run prior to the postponement of the Premier League, and had kept clean sheets in nine of their previous 11 games.
'It has been a great run of form for clean sheets,' said Maguire.
'Sometimes you defend better when you concede one, two goals but we have managed to keep a clean sheet with David [de Gea] pulling off one or two great saves. Everyone is praising the defence.
Maguire and his team-mates celebrate after beating rivals City at the Etihad back in December
'There were times at the start of the season, we have improved in defending set pieces. If you look back at our record before this run of clean sheets, we were up there with the worst in the league and if you can't defend set plays and are not scoring at the other end, you don't stand a chance in reaching where you want to go.
'We have gelled together more. It is a new back four. Luke [Shaw] has played really well of late. Eric [Bailly] has come back and started pushing for a place and everyone has upped their game as he has done well.
'We have a settled back four and we are learning each other's games really well. At the start of the season we conceded too many goals from set pieces and you look into that and you see one or two goals a game that could have been clean sheets.'
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