10 December 2023 , 11:31
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Richard Keys has suggested Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes deliberately got himself booked in their 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday because he knew it meant he would miss their clash with rivals Liverpool next weekend.
Fernandes was shown a yellow card for arguing with referee Peter Bankes late in the game. It is the fifth time the midfielder has been booked this season, meaning he will now serve a one-match ban and miss United's Premier League game against Liverpool on Sunday.
And Keys has claimed Fernandes did it on purpose because he "knows that next week could be a bad day out". Speaking to Andy Gray on beIN Sports, Keys said: "Do you think Fernandes knew that if he got booked, he was going to miss the Liverpool game?"
"Of course he would know," replied Gray. Keys then responded: "So he has got himself booked on purpose, knowing it is a good one to miss?"
However, Gray was not convinced, replying: "Well, his memories of Anfield from last season are not very good. He had a dreadful time at Anfield last season. If you're asking me whether the captain of Manchester United knowingly gets himself booked so he would be unavailable for his team and fans, I hope not. I would be horrified if a footballer did that."
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But Keys doubled down on his comments and criticised Fernandes' leadership, stating: "I think he knows at 3-0 down, United stopped playing and it could have been four or five. I think he knows that next week could be a bad day out for the football club.
"If we're all agreed that if he knew he got booked he would miss the game, I can't think of any other scenario whereby I could allow him the room to manoeuvre on that and say 'it was a heated moment'. It wasn't.
Bruno Fernandes will miss the trip to Liverpool (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)"I think he knew he gets booked and misses the game. That, for me, sums him up. He is not a captain, he is not a leader and his position there has been questioned by proper Manchester United captains."
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton, meanwhile, laid into Fernandes over the booking. "Bruno Fernandes ranting and frothing at the mouth but the referee Peter Bankes not taking any nonsense, that's the way it should be," he said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
"You can understand the frustration but maybe he should be angry at himself. Maybe he is angry at himself because some of his passing in the second half has been woeful."