BBC pundit says underrated Manchester City star Fernandinho is one of the Premier League’s best

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Despite setting up the winner against Burnley at Turf Moor, Sergio Aguero will once again hog the headlines rather than the Brazilian dynamo.

Danny Murphy has insisted on Match of the Day that Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho has been one of the best in his position for a number of years.

Amid a star-studded City line up, the Brazilian powerhouse perhaps does not get the credit he deserves from observers outside of the Etihad Stadium despite an immensely successful three seasons in English football.

Equally adept in destructive or creative roles, Fernandinho’s versatility has been lauded by manager Pep Guardiola on more than a few occasions this season. The Catalan has frequently deploying the former Shakhtar man as the deep-lying play-maker in front of the back four but gave him more attacking freedom alongside the conservative Fernando in City’s 2-1 win at Turf Moor.

In fact, it was Fernandinho who set up Sergio Aguero’s second-half winner by reacting to a loose ball and powering past a defender before cutting the ball back for the Argentine to finish.

And Murphy says it is about time a player often regarded as little more than a holding midfielder is given some overdue adulation.

“He’s been one of the best midfielders in the Premier League for the last couple of seasons,” Murphy said of the Manchester City star, who was given the captain’s armband against Burnley, on BBC’s 10.30 broadcast of Match of the Day on Saturday 26 November.

“I played against him when he was at Shakhtar [for Fulham in the Europa League] and he was an attacking midfielder. People think of him as more of a defensive midfielder here, possibly because he’s played with Yaya [Toure] for a couple of seasons, but he can do both.

“He can be creative and [against Burnley] he showed all aspects of his game when some of his team-mates weren’t quite at it.”

Although he took time to adapt to the rigours of the English game, the 31-year-old has improved by the season and is now every bit as important to Manchester City as Kevin De Bruyne or David Silva.