It is safe to assume that Jim Ratcliffe was not talking about Bruno Fernandes when he moaned about certain players in Manchester United 'paid too much and not good enough'.
In fact, in the midst of all job reductions and costs that are cut at Old Trafford, they may have to find a way to give the skipper a wage increase.
Time and again it is the Portuguese Talisman who comes to the rescue. Where would the Red Devils be without him?
With their season on a knife edge after an early penalty that really used Sociedad in the command, Fernandes was the coolest man in the park – not once, but twice.
He scored two own Spot-Kicks-one in every half-to bring the men of Ruben Amorim in the quarterfinals against their 10-man opponents.
He then claimed the game ball by holding the pass of Alejandro Garnaacho to break his efforts in the corner.
Thanks to him, a chaotic campaign is still alive – and it can still result in an unlikely place in the Champions League in September.
Only five games now separate United from Europa League Glory and a ticket back to the top table – if Fernandes continues to play, you never know.
The wealth that goes with it would be a big boost for the wealth of the Old Trafford and Amorim's Transfer Kitty.
Ratcliffe has a lot to say this week – talking about the situation in which they walked in United last year and also some of the players they 'inherited'.
Yet three of those he checked in his broad interview-Andre Onana, Casemiro and Rasmiro and Rasmir-Werden were all chosen to start in a competition that was crucial for their season.
As Amorim said before the competition, they all had the chance to prove themselves to the billionaire Ineos Magnaat.
United wasted the chance to seal everything but a quarter -final place in the first stage in San Sebastian last week, because they were tired and the Spanish side allowed in it.
And the visitors here started as if they were determined to postpone the most.
Matthijs de Ligt seemed to have defeated Mikel Oyarzabal on a cross by Artiz Elustondo – and at least the offside flag rose.
But there were a few calls for a penalty among the traveling fans and the VAR told Baroit Bastien to take a look at his monitor.
That showed that the winner of the Euro 2024 had pulled a mistake from the United Defender.
Just as he did last week, the Spanish attacker explicitly scored from the place – and sent Onana in the wrong direction.
Only 10 minutes disappeared and United was lagging behind a team that is currently 11th in the Spanish league.
Given the gloomy record of United here this season, the heads could easily have gone down, but controlled by the skipper, they hit back.
Fernandes rolled a cross in the area and Hojlund certainly seemed to score until he was pushed into the back by Igor Zubeldia.
It was a clear fine and the Sociedad captain was perhaps a bit happy to escape with just a yellow card.
Despite the pressure, Fernandes stroked his 13th goal of the season to Alex Remiro from the place.
However, he was not ready-the provider with a pin-point corner who fell Patrick Dorgu on the top of the net.
The Portuguese then played a radical pass on the path of the Danish new boy who probably had more time and space than he realized – shot directly on Remenro.
Another chance begged when Joshua Zirkzee sent a low cross to the area that was chased by Hojlund but just widely from the post.
The £ 72 million attacker did not score in his last 20 performances before, but contributes a lot to an improved United Display.
United probably thought they should have been during the break – but they were within five minutes after the restart.
Artiz Elustondo Body checked Dorgu when the signing of January tried to pass him by and it was enough for the French ref to point to the place.
The Sociedad defender argued for his innocence and to be honest it was difficult to see how he could have gotten out of the way – but there was not enough evidence to destroy it.
And again, Fernandes was the coolest man in the stadium when he went home once from 12 meters.
United was now on the front foot and the visitors made their task even more difficult when they went to 10 men just after the hour.
Jon Aramburu had only been on the field for seven minutes – sent when the bank was afraid that Zubeldia could earn a second yellow card.
But he cut Dorgu off when he clearly seemed to race at the goal and was considered the last man – although the Dane still had a long way to run.
Zirkzee nodded a good chance and there were still a few nerves with United with such a slim benefit.
But all those were blown away because Garnacho was once selfless – a smart pass passing on to Fernandes who shot a low shot past Remiro.
There was still time for another in stopping time when Hojlund withdrew a cross for Countryman Diogo Dalot from Fernandes to go home.
That completed a great evening for Amorim and his Portuguese men of four.
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