Bruno Fernandes has apologised for his crucial penalty miss during Manchester United's 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday, promising fans he will 'be ready next time'. The midfielder stepped up to take an injury-time spot-kick after Kortney Hause handled the ball in the box, but blasted the ball high into the Stretford End.
Fernandes, who had previously missed only one of 22 penalties for United, faced criticism for taking the kick ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo. Many fans and pundits believed Ronaldo should have been the designated taker given his prolific record from the spot.
In an Instagram post, Fernandes said: 'Nobody is more frustrated and disappointed than me for missing the penalty and the consequent defeat. I've always assumed my responsibilities... Today, I failed. But I took a step forward and faced the challenge with the same ambition and responsibility as when, on the many other occasions, the ball ended up in the net.'
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also expressed frustration after the match, blasting VAR for its 'inconsistency' in allowing Aston Villa's winning goal to stand. The goal came from a corner where striker Ollie Watkins was deemed to have been standing close to goalkeeper David de Gea, but VAR did not overturn the decision.
Fernandes concluded his message by thanking fans for their support and vowing to come back stronger. 'I will take it again without any fear or dread whenever called upon,' he wrote.
