RANK BRUNO
Keane: If you watch Fernandes he’s floating around. If he’s doing all that stuff and still producing magic you can forgive him. But he’s KILLING US... HE’S COSTING US
AS Manchester United captain, Roy Keane could never be accused of not giving his all for the team.
Keane’s commitment, relentless work ethic and hunger to win marked him out as one of United’s all-time great leaders, up there with Sir Bobby Charlton and Bryan Robson.
But Keane, 52, is unimpressed with the current holder of the United armband, claiming Bruno Fernandes is “killing and costing” the team with his emotional and erratic style of play.
The Portugal playmaker was made United skipper last summer after Erik ten Hag decided to take the honour away from defender Harry Maguire.
The United boss insisted Fernandes was ideal captaincy material, but, under his leadership, they have endured one of their worst seasons.
United have suffered 14 defeats from 30 games – a record number at this stage of a campaign – and crashed out of Europe and the Carabao Cup.
Fernandes has proved a controversial appointment as captain, his histrionics and persistent moaning towards officials leaving many doubting his suitability for the role.
Keane is among them and claimed Fernandes is costing United with his ill-disciplined style of play.
“If you watch him at international level, he does the same thing (floating around),” said Keane. “It can’t all be the coaches and managers. There’s a player out there and if he’s doing all that stuff and still producing magic, you almost forgive him.
“But if you’re in a struggling team and you’re doing all that stuff, that’s where it stands out.
“And you go, ‘You’re killing us, you’re costing us’. I reckon if you look back at his career, he’s done it in every team.
“It’s a trait. It’s not as if he’s an inexperienced player – leopards and spots.
“He’d get away with it if United were winning more matches and he was producing his bits of magic, which he’s done before.”
Ten Hag led United to third place in the
Premier League last season and EFL Cup success, the club’s first trophy since
2017. But this season that progress has unravelled, with Keane claiming United have no direction under Ten Hag and are struggling to move forward under him.
“It looks like they are all hanging in there,” Keane told the Stick to Football podcast.
“Last year, we gave them praise when they won the Carabao Cup final.
“But then they lost in another final, the FA Cup, getting well beaten by Manchester City.
“It could almost be the same scenario this year.
“Fifth place is available for somebody to get into the Champions League and they’ve had a bit of luck with their FA Cup draw.
“As much as they’re struggling, in football you have to hang in there.
“They look like they are surviving in games and it will be the same this season. They could win the FA Cup.”
Despite that, Keane claimed United have failed to develop an identity under Ten Hag and are no longer playing as a team like last season.
“United are missing something,” added Keane. “A bit of belief, confidence – chopping and changing while lacking goals.
“It doesn’t matter what team you’re playing for, you end up in no-man’s-land.
“They aren’t a pressing team, they aren’t brilliant at dominating, they’re not a brilliantly physical team, they aren’t unbelievable at set pieces.
“They don’t really play as a team. When you look at United – and we say it every week – you don’t know what you’re going to get.”
Roy Keane was speaking to the Stick to
Football podcast, brought to you by Sky
Bet.