‘It’s a Lie’ - Bruno Fernandes Ignites Feud With Man United Legend After Hard-Hitting Criticism

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has escalated his feud with club legend Roy Keane, branding the former skipper a "liar" over recent criticism.

The Portuguese midfielder revealed he was so frustrated by Keane's comments that he even tried to get his phone number from former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to confront him directly.

The dispute stems from Keane's analysis on "The Overlap," where he accused Fernandes of selfishly chasing an assists record at the team's expense. Keane's criticism was based on a misinterpretation of a quote from Fernandes, who had actually been self-critical for shooting too often instead of passing during a match against Nottingham Forest on May 17.

Despite a standout individual season, which saw him set a new Premier League record with his 21st assist against Brighton, Fernandes has frequently been a target for the outspoken pundit.

Speaking on "The Diary of a CEO" podcast, Fernandes expressed his frustration with what he considers a fabrication.

"I've always said I don't mind criticism," Fernandes stated as quoted by Dailymail. "What I don't like is when people lie about things, and in this case, what Roy Keane said is a lie. Luckily for me, everything is on record. Imagine if it wasn't; then people would think Bruno is always the guy trying to go for the assist."

The United playmaker insisted his style of play has remained consistent since his arrival at Old Trafford. "My number of creations is always the same. It's not that I've been trying to reach the assists now, no. I've been creating chances since I came to the Premier League. Roy has seen the same Bruno."

Fernandes added that while he respects Keane's legacy, he cannot accept having his words twisted.

"I even asked Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] for his number to text him to have a word with him, to say, 'I don't mind the criticism, I don't like when people lie about the things that I say,' because this goes a little bit over the top," he explained.

"He can criticise me, kill me, say that I'm not good enough... it's okay, I don't mind. It's his opinion. What I don't like is that people make their own words on what I say. It's not true."

Fernandes' record-breaking assist for Patrick Dorgu's goal against Brighton moved him past the single-season Premier League tallies of Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, who both peaked at 20.

According to football data site Squawka, Fernandes created 136 chances throughout the season, far ahead of the next-best player, Dominik Szoboszlai, who created 78.

However, it is worth noting that Manchester United's lack of European football this season may have contributed to Fernandes' availability, as he played in 35 league games. In contrast, when De Bruyne recorded 20 assists in the 2019-20 season, Manchester City was also competing in the Champions League.

Ironically, former manager Solskjaer once downplayed the significance of the assist statistic, questioning its value. "What does an assist consist of?" he asked a few seasons ago. "I don't count assists, it's all social media."