In Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at Fulham, Bruno Fernandes’ penalty went over the crossbar.
Bruno Fernandes has revealed that the referee “upset” him before his stunning penalty miss for Manchester United on Sunday.
United captain Fernandes had a golden opportunity to open his account for the new season against Fulham at Craven Cottage after a VAR review punished Calvin Bassey for a foul on Mason Mount inside the penalty box.
However, the Portugal international fired his penalty over the bar and into the spectators, missing in the Premier League for the seventh time since joining United in 2020.
On commentary, Sky Sports analyst and former United captain Gary Neville noted an interaction with official Chris Kavanagh right before the wayward strike, suggesting the “referee giving him a slight nudge unnerved him a little bit”.
Kavanagh ran into Fernandes, who was visibly upset immediately before the whistle blew.
when the game, in which United drew 1-1 when Emile Smith Rowe’s score cancelled out a Rodrigo Muniz own goal, Fernandes was questioned about the incident and how it affected his preparation.
The former Sporting CP player claimed that he was dissatisfied with the referee’s unwillingness to apologise, but that he was solely responsible for his poor performance.
“Yeah, I was upset,” Fernandes explained to Sky Sports.
“Obviously, as a penalty taker, you have your own routine, as does everyone. You have your own stuff to accomplish.
“I was upset because the referee did not apologise.” That’s what triggered me in the moment.
“But that is hardly an excuse for missing the penalty. I just took a terrible shot; I planted my foot too far beneath the ball, which is why it went over the bar.”
Fernandes has shown to be one of the Premier League’s most consistent penalty takers, scoring 22 times.
Ruben Amorim remarks on Bruno Fernandes’ penalty miss.
Prior to Sunday, his previous miss was against Chelsea in December 2023. When asked if Fernandes believed Kavanagh was to blame for his miss, Ruben Amorim responded, “No. I believe he isn’t used to missing penalties. He understands the importance of each moment in this environment, as it can have a significant impact on the squad.
“And I noticed that, during the game, he was not as pleased or involved because he had so much duty, and I believe he felt this. “His missed penalty was critical for us.”
United return to action on Wednesday against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup second round, followed by a home encounter against Burnley on August 30.
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