Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, 33, has been criticized for his verbal attack on Bruno Fernandez, 29, and the circumstances behind the incident are now in the spotlight.
Fernandez started the Red Devils’ 2023-2024 English Premier League (EPL) Round 11 away match against Fulham at Craven Cottage in London, England, on Thursday (Sept. 4), scoring a dramatic goal in second-half stoppage time to give his club a 1-0 victory.레모나토토 도메인
The win lifted United to eighth place in the table (18 points) with three more points to turn around their recent poor form. The Red Devils had previously suffered humiliating 0-3 losses at home to Manchester City in the Manchester derby and 0-3 defeat at Newcastle United in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup (EFL Cup).
Fernandez’s goal was all the more significant given that United manager Eric ten Hagg was under fire. The captain’s goal was a welcome respite from what could have been a disastrous season for United.
After scoring the winner, Fernandez was also able to deflect some of the criticism that had been heaped on him. In recent days, former United captain Roy Keane has come under fire for saying that Fernandez is “not a proper captain”.
Keane’s anger at Fernandes stemmed from the club’s recent string of defeats. He criticized the juniors for not having a winning mentality.
“Fernandes is not a captain, he’s a talented player but what I saw today was whining, moaning and constantly throwing his arms in the air. It’s unacceptable,” he said, adding, “It’s the opposite of what you want from a captain.”
Fernandez’s goal in stoppage time, when United were desperately in need of a goal, changed the tone of United’s recent performances. De Gea then took to social media to draw attention to Fernandez, writing, “You are not the right captain.” It came as a shock as the pair were close friends at United.
However, De Gea’s intention was not to criticize Fernandez, but to poke fun at those who criticized him for not being assertive. In fact, De Gea followed his post with an emoji that reads “shut up”.
In effect, he was saying, “Shut up, people who criticized Fernandez. While De Gea was scoffing at outside criticism, he was also embracing his former teammates.
De Gea left United at the end of last season. He is currently without a club. Some local media outlets claim that United are pushing for his return, but nothing has materialized yet.