Bruno Fernandes hits back at Roy Keane after ripping Portuguese “circus act” assist record

There may not have been a trophy ceremony at Old Trafford on Sunday, but a Premier League record was matched and there was cause for celebration. Not everyone was on board with the festive atmosphere, but Bruno Fernandes made sure to hit back at the few critics who questioned him after tying the assist record.

Bruno joins Henry, De Bruyne

It’s been a tale of two teams this year at the Theater of Dreams. Manchester United looked destined for another disappointing campaign under Ruben Amorim, but Michael Carrick came in and turned the tides for the Red Devils. Carrick changed the attitude of the players, but Bruno Fernandes changed the way the team played.

Fernandes has been the best player on a Manchester United side that have failed to live up to their lofty standards over the last few years. It’s hard to blame Fernandes who has been instrumental in the midfield, and captained the side for the the last three seasons. His assist to Bryan Mbueno gave him a share of the Premier League assist record, joining Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bryune with 20, but not everyone was impressed with the way the Portuguese wizard went about it or how he addressed the media in the post game presser.

Another Manchester United captain, Roy Keane, sounded off on Fernandes after the 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday. “What I heard at United the weekend, honestly, I was raging with it. The whole chat about his assists, and players talking about assists. He got interviewed after the match – and I was watching him – and everyone was talking about his assists, and even the players were... the game was about his assists.”

Roy rants about record

Keane continued his rant, claiming, ”I was cringing with all of them. All the players, when he got the assist, going to him, what about the guy who scored the goal? He won’t be winning trophies, not with that mindset of the team yesterday, where they’re giving up two goals, and everyone’s getting all giddy because he’s equalled a record for assists. It’s mind-boggling. It’s mind-boggling. It’s a circus act.”

Fernandes was at the Football Writers Awards and was asked about the club legend’s comments, and he categorically denied the accusations. “I know people can have different opinions about me but they cannot say that I am not someone that looks to [help] the team and tries to make the team the most successful one,” the captain told Sky Sports News.

Twelve of Fernandes’ 20 assists came after Michael Carrick took charge on the sideline. He was one of the driving forces of the massive change in belief and results within the club. While this season didn’t end in titles, Fernandes had a season that will go down in the history books, and he still has one more match to try and become sole Premier League assist record holder on Sunday against Brighton.

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