Bruno Fernandes has hit back at Roy Keane, accusing the former Manchester United captain of telling a “lie” about his pursuit of the Premier League assists record. The United captain secured the outright record with 21 assists in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Brighton, surpassing the previous mark shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
The controversy began after Fernandes equalled the record in United’s 3-2 victory against Nottingham Forest. Keane, speaking on The Overlap podcast, claimed Fernandes had said he deliberately passed instead of shooting to chase the record, calling it a “circus act” and suggesting the captain prioritised individual glory over the team.
Fernandes’ actual post-match remarks were: “There were probably moments today when I should have passed instead of shot. I’m very happy for the assist, but more than that, I’m happy for the win and to finish the season on a high.” He told The Diary of a CEO podcast that Keane had put “words in my mouth”.
“What I don’t like is when people lie about things,” Fernandes said. “Either he saw some other interview or he can’t say that I said one thing that I’ve just not said. I accept his criticism, but I don’t like that he puts words in my mouth.” Keane later posted on Instagram: “Too much attention makes a donkey think he’s a lion.”
Fernandes revealed he had contacted former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær to ask for Keane’s phone number to address the issue directly. “I think I’ve always showed a lot of respect for Roy Keane and for everything he’s done for the club,” he added.
