Bruno Fernandes: Ruben Amorim hits back at Roy Keane's rant against Man Utd captain | OneFootball

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has defended his captain Bruno Fernandes after the club's retired midfielder Roy Keane launched into a stinging tirade against the Portuguese playmaker.

This is not Keane's first verbal assault on Fernandes' character. At the start of last season, the ex-Republic of Ireland international demanded Fernandes be stripped of United's captaincy.

In his latest ill-tempered critique, Keane questioned the 30-year-old's attitude on the latest Stick to Football podcast, insisting: "Bruno's not a fighter." "I go back to it all," an increasingly irate Keane concluded, "talent is not enough. Bruno's a talented player, but talent's not enough."

"I have a different opinion," Amorim responded. "Bruno is really important for us in the club. He's special for me. He's playing well in a difficult context. He always wants the responsibility.

"I know always as a captain he does things with his arms and sometimes you see it like it's criticising the teammates. I think most of all it's a lot of frustration for the last few years. He wants to win and sometimes it's really hard to deal with that frustration.

"But like I said, everybody has an opinion, Roy Keane has big standards from him in his time. And it's normal to have an opinion. I have an opposite opinion and I think it's more important than Roy Keane's because I'm the coach. And I think he's doing things quite well."

Ruben Amorim (right) has full faith in Bruno Fernandes / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

Fernandes created all three of United's goals in a comeback victory over Ipswich Town on Wednesday night. The Portuguese all-rounder once again leads the team for goals, assists, shots, chances created and any number of additional statistical categories.

It was Fernandes' second-half free-kick against Everton - United's first shot on target of the match - which inspired a dramatic 2-2 draw at Goodison Park last weekend. That display was just the latest show of defiance which prompted Amorim to hail his skipper as "a leader". "He's really important, in any position that he plays."

When Fernandes' heroics were put to Keane by former Arsenal forward Ian Wright, he wasn't impressed. "Save us?" the infamously scathing pundit sniffed. "They're 15th in the league and he's saving them? Praise the lord."

United and Fernandes host Fulham in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday while sat 14th in the Premier League table - a lowly standing compared to the club's historic achievements, but one which may be even lower without their divisive captain, at least in Amorim's opinion.