Roy Keane has delivered a blunt reality check regarding talk of Bruno Fernandes as the PFA Player of the Year, citing Manchester United's standards as a significant issue.
Keane's Reality Check
Roy Keane has hit back at Gary Neville and claimed that Bruno Fernandes is only being talked up as a potential PFA Player of the Year because Manchester United's standards are "really, really low." The Portuguese star has long been the standout individual at Old Trafford and has enjoyed one of his best seasons to date. His numbers, especially in terms of creating chances and providing assists, set him apart from other players in the Premier League.
As a result, he is being talked up for individual accolades come the season's end. He is among the favourites to scoop the main award with Declan Rice, Erling Haaland, and Bernardo Silva also in contention.
Neville's Pick and Keane's Response
Neville admits that Fernandes would get his pick but feels as though the nostalgia surrounding Bernardo in his last season could see him land more votes. Keane equally felt the City midfielder would get it, especially if Pep Guardiola's side end up winning the domestic treble.
When Neville put forward his case for Fernandes, he said on Stick to Football: "I just think where United are from where they've been all season." Keane then asked where they were, sarcastically saying "amazing" when Neville said third. The Irishman, who drove standards when he was captain on the red side of Manchester, believed that Fernandes was benefiting in a team that had minimal expectation. He said: "But when your standards are really, really low and you go up a little bit.."
Fernandes' Individual Success vs. Team Honours
Fernandes has been named the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year on four occasions, the joint most of any player in United's history. He has also won the Premier League's Player of the Month award six times, only one shy of the record held by the likes of Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane. Despite those individual awards, Fernandes has won just two honours since moving to Manchester in January 2020. The playmaker has landed the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup but never been part of a side that have challenged for the league, which he knows is the ultimate expectation.
He recently told the Telegraph: "So, the main thing that the club understood is this: it's 2013 that they last won the Premier League. That's too long for a club like Man United. Being now so long without winning a Premier League is not normal. As a player, you have to understand that the fans, the expectation, will always be that we want to come back and win the Premier League."
