“He thinks…” Bruno Fernandes hits back at Roy Keane after stunning Manchester United hat-trick

Bruno Fernandes has hit back at Roy Keane following the former Manchester United player’s criticism of the way he operates as club captain at Old Trafford.

Manchester United powered into the Europa League quarter-finals with a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad, led by a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick and a late goal from Diogo Dalot.

Sociedad struck first at Old Trafford through a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty, but United responded quickly, with Fernandes equalising from the spot after Rasmus Højlund was fouled.

Fernandes put United ahead early in the second half with another penalty after Patrick Dorgu was brought down, before Sociedad were reduced to ten men when Jon Aramburu was sent off for a foul on Dorgu.

United dominated from there, with Fernandes completing his hat-trick before Dalot sealed the win in stoppage time. Rúben Amorim’s side will now face Olympique Lyonnais in the quarter-finals.

Fernandes hits back at Keane

Following his fantastic European hat-trick, Bruno Fernandes was asked for his take on the fact that former United player Roy Keane had been very critical of him lately.

Last month, Keane criticised Fernandes’ leadership, claiming that he was “not a fighter,” which angered many fans at the club who felt that Keane was stirring the pot during a turbulent time at Old Trafford.

“Everyone has an opinion and that’s fine,” Fernandes said in reply, very diplomatically. “I can’t change the mind of people. Roy Keane was an amazing captain for the club, one of the best. He’s massively respected and has all my respect.

“He has to give his opinion in a programme and this is what he thinks about me. What I’m doing on the pitch is to try to change his mind, or do something he probably sees as a good thing. Obviously I do it in my own way, I don’t want to copy anyone.

“I try to be the best captain that I can for my teammates. I try to help everyone in the best way I know. I have a lot of things to improve, not only as a captain but as a player, as a person, as a human being and that’s fine.

“Criticism is going to be always there and it’s going to make me grow and understand that there’s still a long way to go.”

Fernandes is a shining example

With United set to build a new stadium over the next five years, Fernandes has become a beacon of hope for the future at United.

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While his duties as club captain are currently to guide the team through a rough patch and hold the squad together under Amorim, he is doing so much more.

Fernandes is well known to spend a lot of time with the club’s Academy players, and many feel that the current crop of future talent at Carrington is the strongest United have seen in a long time.

Although no one knows if Fernandes will still be at United when the club finally kick off at the new stadium, there is little doubt that he has cemented himself as the final legend of Old Trafford.

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