Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea sparked intrigue with a comment on Bruno Fernandes’ recent Instagram post, and it appears to be a subtle response to Roy Keane’s criticism.
Fernandes, who has faced significant scrutiny for his captaincy, delivered a dramatic 91st-minute winning goal for Erik ten Hag’s team in their Premier League encounter against Fulham.
This pivotal moment came just days after Roy Keane publicly called for the 29-year-old midfielder to be relieved of the captain’s armband, following United’s disappointing 3-0 loss in the Manchester derby.
Keane’s statement was clear: “The first thing I would do – I have to tell you, watching him again – I would definitely take the captaincy off him. 100 per cent. I know it’s a big decision. Obviously, they changed the captaincy with Maguire [but] Fernandes is not captain material.”
Even Sky pundit Jamie Carragher concurred with Keane, asserting that Fernandes “should not be a captain.” However, Fernandes responded to his doubters with a remarkable performance against Fulham.
After the final whistle on Saturday, Fernandes took to Instagram to celebrate United’s hard-earned victory, and an hour later, his former teammate David de Gea posted a rather telling comment. He wrote, “You are not the right captain,” followed by a Zipper-Mouth emoji.
De Gea’s sarcastic remark certainly caught the attention of social media users.
United manager Erik ten Hag didn’t hold back in defending Bruno Fernandes against his critics following his standout performance at Craven Cottage.
When asked about those who had questioned Fernandes’ captaincy credentials, Ten Hag stated in an interview with TNT Sports after the match, “I don’t understand it. Everyone makes mistakes, and no one is perfect. But he does many things very well.
Every time he leads as captain, he sets an example. As you saw today, he worked tirelessly, pressed relentlessly, and ultimately scored the decisive goal. He is immensely important to us.”
Fernandes himself commented on his performance, saying, “With that goal, you could see the belief of everyone, fighting for that ball. Everyone was giving their all, and in the end, I managed to take the shot for the goal and secure the three points.
It’s incredibly important; we’re aware of our current position. We need results. Getting the three points today was of great significance to us. We have to start building something, especially with big games ahead.”