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Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes has delivered a strong response to Roy Keane, accusing the club legend of 'lying' in his recent harsh remarks. The disagreement arose after Keane’s fiery critique of the Portuguese playmaker’s behaviour during his pursuit of the Premier League assist record in the closing weeks of the season.

Keane slams Fernandes over record chase

The tension began when Keane, appearing on The Overlap last Monday, voiced his anger over the attention given to Fernandes equalling the Premier League’s single-season assist record during United’s win against Nottingham Forest. Keane claimed that the United captain seemed more focused on personal milestones than team success.

The former United midfielder said: “When you’re the captain of a club and supposed to drive it forward, you can’t just think about your own stats or assists. What I heard at United over the weekend, honestly, it made me furious. Everyone was talking about his assists—the players, the media—the whole thing was about that. After the match, he even said, ‘A few times I probably should have shot but I made the passes.’ That’s not the mindset of someone desperate to win; it’s about chasing personal glory.”

Fernandes rebuts Keane’s claims

Fernandes has now addressed those remarks, appearing on The Diary of a CEO podcast to clarify his stance. The midfielder expressed frustration with how his post-match comments were presented by Keane, insisting that the situation was misrepresented.

In reality, Fernandes had said the opposite in his actual post-match interview: “There were probably moments today when I should have passed instead of shot. I’m very happy for the assist, but more importantly, I’m happy for the win and to finish the season on a high.”

Responding directly to Keane’s version of events, Fernandes told host Steven Bartlett: “I don’t mind criticism. I always accept it from everyone and never reply. People have opinions—they may be good, bad, or whatever.”

“What I can’t accept is when someone lies. In this case, what Roy Keane said is a lie. Luckily, everything is recorded. Imagine if it wasn’t—people would think I’m the kind of player who only cares about assists.”

“I even asked Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] for his number so I could message him directly. I wanted to tell him that I don’t mind criticism, but it’s not right to spread lies about what I say. That crosses a line of what’s acceptable.”

Record-breaking campaign for Fernandes

Despite the controversy, Fernandes went on to set a new Premier League record with 21 assists following a 3-0 victory over Brighton, where he provided a key pass for Patrick Dorgu’s goal. This achievement allowed him to surpass the previous record held jointly by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, solidifying his reputation as one of the league’s most creative players. His performances earned him the Premier League Player of the Season award as he guided United back into the Champions League.

Carrick stands by his captain

While Keane remains doubtful about Fernandes’ leadership style, United’s new permanent manager Michael Carrick has publicly supported his captain. Carrick, who recently agreed to a new two-year contract at Old Trafford, sees Fernandes as central to his rebuilding plans as the club prepares for a return to Europe’s top competition.

Speaking about Fernandes’ influence and future, Carrick said: “He’s a huge influence for us. As captain, he’s led by example in different ways. I’ve got no reason to think he’ll leave. We’ve loved what he’s brought to the team, and he clearly loves being here—you can see that.”