Topics: Roy Keane, Man Utd, Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes sometimes looks like the only Manchester United player capable of leaving his mark on a match.
Man Utd were brushed aside by Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday, the latest in a long list of timid performances under Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim this season.
Fernandes put the effort in, as he usually does, but stuck out like a sore thumb in a United team who are too easy to beat.
Worryingly for United fans, the gap was especially obvious against opponents who have their tails up, know their jobs inside-out, and work hard for 90 minutes.
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By contrast, Amorim's side are all too willing to let matches pass them by.
Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane, who led Man Utd by forceful example as a player, has heard enough from Fernandes.
"To me, it's kind of just soundbites now from him," said Keane after the current United captain sought to rally the troops in his post-match interview at St James' Park.
Fernandes and his team-mates are looking ahead to the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Lyon on Thursday after a 2-2 draw in the first leg. Keane spotted the distraction and skewered it.
"Let's hope they win on Thursday, by the way. My goodness, that's all they're talking about."
The Irishman was perhaps too dismissive of Lyon but it's clear that he still holds Man Utd to certain standards and beating Ligue 1 teams in Europe is one of them.
Approaching every game with the utmost professionalism is another and Keane was irked by the idea that the Europa League is United's focus when their latest domestic display was so abject.
"He's talking about his team-mates there...but what about his right-back who didn't put a leg or try and tackle for the goal, Dalot?" added Keane.
"I hope he's pulling him in the dressing room. Because he keeps talking about belief in the players or 'my team-mates'. A real good team-mate puts demands on each other, whether that's out on the pitch or in the dressing room or on the training ground during the week.
"I supposed it's called the culture of your football club. So when I listen to Bruno now, and I've been harsh on Bruno, an amazing player, but I still have question marks about his leadership."
Fernandes will be hoping his team-mates repay his public faith in them by showing up on Thursday, when Lyon visit Old Trafford in the Europa League.
