Bruno Fernandes says that the referee was not the fault of his missed penalty against Fulham on Sunday.
Manchester United was held on a 1-1 draw in Craven Cottage after impact replacement Emile Smith Rowe canceled his own goal from Rodrigo Muniz.
Fernandes had the opportunity to put the Red Devils in front earlier, when Calvin Bassey was punished for throwing Mason Mount on the floor in the box. Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed out on the spot after revising the incident at the monitor.
Kavanagh unintentionally bumped into Fernandes while he prepared to take the penalty. The international Portugal does not look -plused and sent his attempt to fly over the bar.
Bruno Fernandes refuses to blame the referee for criminal mass
Asked if the collision with the referee postponed him, Fernandes told BBC Sport: “No, like everyone you have your own routine.
“I was preparing myself to get the penalty. That brought me a bit of my nerves, but it is not why I missed the penalty. I missed because I kicked the ball very badly.”
United Manager Ruben Amorim agreed and told Sky Sports that he did not think Kavanagh had some effect on the outcome of the penalty.
“No, I think he’s not used to missing a penalty,” he said. “He knows that every moment in this context can have a huge impact on the team.
“I felt that he was not so happy during the game, not so involved, because he had so much responsibility and he thought the missed penalty was enormous for us.”
Bassey called the original criminal decision “Harsh” and claimed that he was simply too strong for Mount.
“I still find it hard,” the defender told Sky Sports. “I understand why it is given. I try to stay strong because I know the block is coming, and then I pulled it over my foot.
“But the referee must also protect us. I am strong, so it looks a bit more aggressive. If someone is stronger [than Mount]I don’t think it looks so bad.
“It is difficult. Sometimes, if you feel the contact early, you go down and the referee can give you a mistake.
“If you are in the game and the ball is there to be one, sometimes you try to get to the ball as quickly as possible and you have to avoid the man.
“There is a nice line between giving away an error and getting away with it. On another day, the ref is not watching. We as players just have to try to be smart.
“I tried to communicate with the referee because I knew the block was going on. I said to every corner,” look at the blocks, look at the blocks, “but he made his decision.
“It’s something to learn, just be a little more streetwise and smart.”
Bassey said on Fernandes’ punishment: “I would say it was justice! I didn’t think it was a pen. It was a bit of relief.”
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