Fernandez came off the bench in last night’s 1-1 draw against Norwich City following the ninth-minute dismissal of Ciaran Clark.
And Fernandez – who hadn’t even made the bench for the club’s previous five Premier League games – played his part in a gutsy performance from Howe’s 10-man team at St James’s Park.
"I can’t speak for anyone else, all I can speak is the player that I’ve worked with so far,” said Howe. “He’s been the ultimate professional, a real leader of the group, a respected figure. I think he proved today he’s still an outstanding player, I thought he defended magnificently.
"I haven’t seen too much of Feddy yet. The week that I missed with Covid meant that I had limited training time with the group. But I was delighted to give him his opportunity. I thought Feddy played really, really well.”
9. Gabigol in demand
Arsenal, Everton, Newcastle, Aston Villa and West Ham are all looking to sign Brazilian striker Gabigol in the January window. He's valued at around £30 million. (90min) (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images) Photo: Buda Mendes