Manchester United`s captain, Bruno Fernandes, had a very special young fan walk out with him for the Manchester derby.
In a Premier League match against Manchester City at Old Trafford that ended in a scoreless draw, and might not be remembered for the game itself, something special happened before kickoff.
The memorable moment was the pre-match entrance of the teams onto the field.
Fernandes, 30, representing the home side, was accompanied by Bobby Moore, a seven-year-old Manchester United superfan from Belfast.
Bobby made history as the first wheelchair-using mascot for the Red Devils.
Fernandes discovered this passionate young supporter online, watching a video of Bobby celebrating his penalty goal in the season`s first Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.
In that earlier match, Fernandes played a key role in Manchester United`s 2-1 comeback victory against City in December.
His penalty leveled the score after Josko Gvardiol`s opening goal, and Amad Diallo scored a dramatic late winner three months prior.
However, it was Bobby`s enthusiastic celebration of that victory that truly captured Fernandes` attention.
Impressed by Bobby`s passion, Fernandes invited him to Manchester United`s training ground on Friday.
Subsequently, Bobby was invited to be the team`s official mascot for this significant game against City.
In a heartwarming display of respect, every Manchester City player joined Fernandes in greeting and shaking hands with Bobby during the pre-match lineup.
Moore watched as his beloved team held Manchester City to a draw. City is currently aiming for a top-five finish to secure Champions League qualification.
Manchester United`s path to next season`s Champions League might depend on winning the Europa League.
