Roy Keane fires back at Bruno Fernandes with cryptic “donkey” message after Man United captain's “lie” claims

Roy Keane has hit back at Bruno Fernandes, appearing to label him a "donkey" following the Manchester United captain's public response to the former Red Devils skipper's pointed criticism.

Keane, a long-time critic of Fernandes, wasted no time doubling down, having previously called out the Portuguese star for what he perceived as an excessive focus on personal glory over collective success.

The United captain, who was on the verge of breaking the Premier League's single-season assist record, drew level with the benchmark after teeing up Bryan Mbeumo for the Red Devils's decisive third goal in their penultimate campaign fixture against Nottingham Forest.

However, Keane was far from impressed by the fanfare surrounding the milestone, having branded the atmosphere a "circus act", arguing that Fernandes should have been more concerned with United conceding twice than celebrating a personal landmark.

The 31-year-old eventually broke the record outright, registering his 21st assist of the Premier League season by setting up Patrick Dorgu from a corner in Man United's 3-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day of the campaign.

In the aftermath of that achievement, Fernandes addressed Keane's remarks on The Diary of a CEO podcast, labelling them “a lie” while stressing he has no issue with criticism.

Roy Keane labels Bruno Fernandes a “donkey” in cryptic post

What should have been an uncomplicated moment of triumph, however, began to spiral, with Fernandes also revealing in that same interview that he had sought Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's help in obtaining Keane's number to settle the matter privately via text.

In what appeared to be a direct response to Fernandes's interview, the Irishman shared an image of a donkey on Instagram, accompanied by the caption "Too much attention makes a donkey think he's a lion," according to the Daily Mail.

The ongoing dispute has somewhat overshadowed what should have been a landmark moment, after Fernandes became the first player to surpass a record set by Thierry Henry over two decades ago.

The likes of Mesut Ozil, Cesc Fabregas and Mohamed Salah had all threatened that benchmark without eclipsing it, while Kevin De Bruyne came closest of all, matching Henry's tally of 20 in 2019-20, underscoring just how remarkable Fernandes's record-breaking figure truly is.

Can the Roy Keane-Bruno Fernandes feud derail Man United's ambition next season?

As previously noted, this is far from the first time Keane has taken aim at Fernandes over his attitude and leadership, having gone as far as suggesting that United cannot win major silverware with the Portuguese star's mentality driving the side.

The Red Devils last lifted the top-flight title in 2013 – Sir Alex Ferguson's final season at the club – and have been a long way from recapturing that level ever since, though they have won a couple of FA Cups and EFL Cups along the way, alongside the Europa League.

Last term's 15th-placed finish under Ruben Amorim marked a new low, and the side appeared destined for more of the same in 2025-26, before a resurgence under Michael Carrick changed the narrative entirely.

A third-placed finish in the Premier League table has not only returned Champions League football to Old Trafford after a two-year absence but also secured Carrick a permanent role at the helm, with confidence firmly restored among a resurgent fanbase.

With the right signings, few would doubt United's capacity to challenge for the title next term, making whatever tension exists between Fernandes and Keane quite inconsequential in the context of the club's exciting trajectory.