“Attention makes donkey think he’s lion”: Manchester United legend Roy Keane takes sly dig at Bruno Fernandes after the Red Devils captain accused him of lying

Manchester United legend Roy Keane has seemingly responded to criticism from club captain Bruno Fernandes with a cryptic social media post. The exchange comes after Fernandes claimed that Keane had wrongly twisted his comments during television analysis earlier this season.

Fernandes spoke about the issue during his appearance on the podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett. The Portuguese midfielder explained that he accepts criticism from former players and pundits, but he becomes frustrated when his words are presented incorrectly. According to Fernandes, Keane’s comments created a false image of him as a player only focused on personal records and assists.

Roy Keane shares cryptic message after Bruno Fernandes interview

The disagreement between Roy Keane and Bruno Fernandes started after Manchester United’s victory over Nottingham Forest earlier this season. Keane had criticised Fernandes and suggested that the midfielder cared too much about collecting assists. Fernandes strongly denied that claim during the podcast interview.

The Manchester United skipper explained that he has never had a problem with criticism throughout his career. He said that different opinions are normal in football and he is willing to listen to them. However, Fernandes felt Keane crossed the line by presenting comments that were not true. He added that he was fortunate the interview and conversations were publicly available because people could verify his actual words instead of believing a misleading narrative.

Soon after Fernandes’ comments gained attention online, Keane posted a short message on Instagram that many fans interpreted as a response to the midfielder. The former United captain uploaded a quote saying that excessive attention can make a donkey believe it is a lion. Although Keane did not directly mention Fernandes, supporters quickly connected the post to the ongoing disagreement between the two figures.

Despite the controversy, Fernandes enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career. The 31-year-old played a major role in helping Manchester United secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League. He also broke the Premier League record for most assists in a single season. He registered 21 assists during the 2025-26 campaign.

Fernandes also revealed during the same interview that he nearly joined Tottenham Hotspur before signing for Manchester United in 2020. He stated that Tottenham had reached an advanced stage in negotiations, but Sporting CP eventually decided not to sell him. Fernandes admitted he was prepared to join Spurs because playing in the Premier League had always been his dream, although he now feels fortunate that the move collapsed and eventually led him to Old Trafford.




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