Bruno Fernandes has branded Roy Keane a ‘liar’, ramping up the feud between the current and former Manchester United captains.
And the Portuguese talisman has revealed that he sought out Keane’s number to ‘have a word with him’ in the wake of misplaced criticism.
Fernandes has enjoyed a memorable season – he recorded his 21st assist of the campaign against Brighton on Sunday, a Premier League record – but has still been unable to escape the ire of Keane.
Recently Keane tore into him on The Overlap for apparently admitting to targeting the assists record over the benefit of the team, but that was based on a misconstrued quote.
The playmaker had criticised himself for shooting sometimes when he should have passed against Nottingham Forest on May 17, but Keane interpreted this the wrong way round. He claimed that Fernandes had admitted to passing just to reach the assists record.
Fernandes has grown frustrated of Keane’s pop shots and told The Diary of a CEO: ‘I’ve always said I don’t mind criticism. I always take criticism from everyone and anyone and never reply to anyone whatsoever. People have an opinion, they think it’s good, bad or whatever.
Bruno Fernandes has branded Roy Keane a ‘liar’ over his recent criticism
Keane had misinterpreted Fernandes and thought he was aiming for a personal assists record over the good of the team
‘What I don’t like is when people lie about things, and in this case, what you said about Roy Keane, basically, what he said is a lie. Luckily for me everything is on record, imagine if it wasn’t, then people will think Bruno is always the guy trying to go for the assist.
‘My number creations is always the same. It’s not that I’ve been trying to reach the assists now, no, I’ve been creating chances since I came to the Premier League. My type of play hasn’t changed. Roy has seen the same Bruno.
‘I’ve always showed a lot of respect for Roy Keane and for everything he’s done for the club and everything he’s always said. I’ve never said something wrong.
‘I even asked Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] his number to text him to have a word with him, to say “I don’t mind the criticism, I don’t like when people lie about the things that I say,” because this goes a little bit over the top of the things I think are acceptable.
‘I accept criticism. I accept he can say things I don’t like. That improves me. What I don’t like is that people make their own words on what I say. It’s not true. He can criticise me, kill me, say that I’m not good enough, that I’m not a good captain, not a good player for the club, whatever, it’s okay, I don’t mind.
‘It’s his opinion, I don’t like it, I’d prefer Roy Keane to give me some praise sometimes because I’ve achieved something not many players achieve.’
Fernandes set up Patrick Dorgu’s opening goal against Brighton to bag his 21st assist of the season and surpass Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, who in their best campaigns had managed 20.
According to Squawka, the 31-year-old created a total of 136 chances throughout the season. The second-best, far away in the rearview mirror, was Dominik Szoboszlai on 78.
Fernandes (rear) recorded 21 assists this season, setting a Premier League record
However, United have arguably had an easier ride this campaign due to not participating in European competition. Fernandes has been able to play in 35 Premier League games and complete 31.
In 2019-20, when he recorded 20 assists, De Bruyne also featured in 35 games but only completed a full 90 in 26, with City balancing their domestic commitments with the Champions League.
Fernandes appears to have a better assists ratio than Henry, though, who in 2002-03 played in 37 Premier League matches, only being subbed off in three of them.
Ironically, Solskjaer also questioned the value of assists a few seasons ago, saying: ‘What does an assist consist of? A square pass and Bruno hits the top corner or when Paul [Pogba] plays a great pass through and Mason [Greenwood] runs past?
‘Paul’s always been a top passer, one of the best in European football… I don’t count assists, it’s all social media.’
