Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes says he enjoys seeing people complain about the goals he scores from the penalty spot.
The Portugal midfielder has scored 110 goals for the Red Devils, with 43 of those strikes coming from penalties. Rather than being troubled by the attention surrounding his spot-kicks, Fernandes says the criticism is something he welcomes.
“I like it when people moan about my penalty goals,” Fernandes said.
His comments come after he scored a hat-trick in Manchester United’s recent Premier League match against Ipswich. The game ended in a 5-2 victory for Manchester United, with one of Fernandes’ three goals coming from a penalty.
The treble took his overall Manchester United tally to 110 goals. Of that total, 43 have been scored from the penalty spot, meaning his record also includes 67 goals from open play or other set-piece situations.
Fernandes’ penalty record has become a notable part of his goalscoring contribution for Manchester United. The latest spot-kick was one of three goals he scored against Ipswich, as the Red Devils secured a five-goal victory in the Premier League fixture.
For Fernandes, however, the reaction to those penalties is not a source of frustration. His remarks indicate that public complaints about his spot-kick goals are an aspect of the attention he finds enjoyable.
The 110-goal milestone and his hat-trick against Ipswich underline the midfielder’s importance to Manchester United’s attack. His three goals formed a significant part of the 5-2 result, while the penalty took his tally from the 11-metre mark to 43.
Fernandes remains Manchester United’s captain and a Portugal international, and his latest comments focus specifically on how his penalty goals are viewed by the public. The midfielder has made clear that he does not object to the criticism directed at those goals.
Instead, he says he likes the fact that people react strongly when he scores from penalties. That response has accompanied a substantial part of his 110-goal Manchester United record, with more than a third of his goals coming from the spot.
The latest example arrived in the Premier League match against Ipswich, where Fernandes completed his hat-trick during a 5-2 Manchester United win. One of those goals was a penalty, adding another spot-kick to his club total and prompting his comments about those who complain when he scores them.
