Bruno Fernandes has admitted he is frustrated and disappointed with his penalty miss in the late stages of Saturday lunchtime’s defeat to Aston Villa.
Bruno Fernandez wrote: “I’ve always assumed my responsibilities, and I’ve always embraced them under pressure in moments like this. Today, I failed. But I took a step forward and faced the challenge with the same ambition and responsibility as when, on the many other occasions, the ball ended up in the net. Criticism and contrasting opinions are a big part of football. I’ve learned to live with it, even using them to drive me on, and I consider it all a very important part of my commitment to never stop trying to improve and to become the best player I can possibly be, for me and the team. Today I once again took the responsibility given to me almost since I joined United and I will take it again without any fear or dread whenever called upon. The most important thing for me is to win together and I’ll always do everything I can to help my teammates and the club to be the best we can be. I’m a player who leaves everything on the pitch, with great desire and commitment. And that’s what I’ll continue to do. Thank you for all your support after the final whistle! Hearing you chanting my name in the stadium was very emotional… I will come back stronger for me, because these are the standards I hold myself to, but most of all for my teammates and our fans who have always supported us.”
Some sections of the United support were disappointed that Solskjaer did not call for Cristiano Ronaldo to take the penalty, given his extraordinary record of scoring in important moments. However, in light of Fernandes’ recent failure, there will surely be an interesting on-field debate to decide who will take United’s next spot-kick.