Fernandes vs Keane: Man Utd Captain Fires Back After Record Night

Fernandes wins FWA and PL player awards, hits back at Keane criticism

Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes hits back at Roy Keane after breaking the club’s Premier League assist record, accusing the former captain of getting his comments wrong.

After reaching 21 Premier League assists, Bruno Fernandes fires back at Roy Keane’s criticism and reveals he asked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for Keane’s number to clear things up...

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has called out Roy Keane for what he says are false claims about his Premier League assist record.

Fernandes set a new United record with 21 assists in the Premier League this season after setting up Patrick Dorgu in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Brighton.

The 31-year-old tied the previous record of 21 assists, held jointly by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, a week earlier in United’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.

Former United midfielder Roy Keane has not been impressed by Fernandes’ chase for the milestone.  

The outspoken Keane said Fernandes had put individual glory over the team’s interests, describing him as being at the centre of a “circus act.”

Speaking on The Overlap podcast, Keane said: “After the (Forest) game, he got interviewed, and he said, the captain of Manchester United said: 'A few times, I probably should have shot, but I made them passes.'

“Wow. How can your mindset, of a footballer, be going into a match to be about an individual record? He won't be winning trophies, not with that mindset of the team.”

The former United captain seemed to misinterpret Fernandes’ remarks, since the Portugal star actually said: “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.”

 

Roy Keane rips into Bruno Fernandes' assist record: “It’s a circus act!” [@WeAreTheOverlap]
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— utdreport (@utdreport) May 19, 2026

When asked on Monday about Keane’s criticism, Fernandes hit back at the Old Trafford legend.

“Like I've always said, I don't mind criticism,” Fernandes told The Diary of a CEO podcast. “What I don't like is when people lie about things and (in) this case that you said about Roy Keane, basically, what he said is a lie.

“Either he saw some other interview, or he can't say that I said one thing that I've just not said, and luckily for me, everything is on record.

“I accept that he might like me as a player or not, like me as a person or not. But what I don't like is that he puts words in my mouth that have not been said.”

Fernandes’ strong performances this season helped United secure third place in the Premier League and won him both the Football Writers’ Association and Premier League Player of the Season awards.

 

"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."

Bruno Fernandes responds to Roy Keane pic.twitter.com/v5BItxAlhL

— Steven Bartlett (@StevenBartlett) May 25, 2026

Keane’s criticism frustrated him enough that he reached out to former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to get the Irishman’s phone number so they could discuss it directly.

“Obviously, I think I've always showed a lot of respect for Roy Keane and for everything he's done for the club and for everything he's always said,” Fernandes said.

“What I don't like is that people make their own words on what I say and it's not true.”