Bruno Fernandes hits back at his critics with Man United captain's demeanour angering club legends Roy Keane and Gary Neville

Bruno Fernandes has fired back at his detractors and insisted outside opinions will not define him after a string of stinging attacks from Manchester United greats Roy Keane and Gary Neville.

The United captain has faced months of scrutiny over his leadership and on-field demeanour, with former skipper Keane repeatedly branding Fernandes and his team-mates 'bluffers' and questioning whether his words have any meaning.

Neville has also accused the Portugal midfielder of petulance during United's continued struggles.

Speaking to the BBC ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby at the Etihad, Fernandes was asked what people most commonly get wrong about him.

In a pointed response he said: 'Nothing. People have an opinion about me and I can't change that. It's the way people want to judge you about what they see on the pitch, some of them what they see on television, some of them what they see on interviews.

'I can't change that. They have the freedom to think the way they want about me, as I have the same freedom to think about them. But what I don't do is I don't judge people until I know them.

'They can have an opinion about me and that's fine. We all have different opinions, that's why life is so good and so different. Because if we all think the same way it will be so boring.'

Keane first used the 'bluffers' jibe after United's 4-1 defeat at Newcastle in April, their 14th league loss of the season, which equalled a club record. He said on Sky Sports: 'Bruno does front up but it's kind of just soundbites now.

'Real good team-mates put demands on each other. These aren't team-mates, they are bluffers.'

The midfielder's leadership was also the subject of a heated debate on Sky Bet's Stick To Football podcast earlier this year when Keane clashed with Arsenal great Ian Wright over his influence.

Keane argued that talent alone was not enough and that Fernandes should be rallying his team-mates as Tony Adams once did at Highbury, demanding more in the dressing room as well as producing on the pitch.

Wright countered that without Fernandes United would be in even deeper trouble, pointing to his goals and assists as evidence he was leading by example during one of the club's worst seasons in the Premier League era.

The row underlined how polarising a figure the Portuguese has become, even among pundits who usually agree on United's shortcomings.

Despite the criticism, Fernandes was United's most productive player last season with 19 goals and 18 assists in all competitions. He has already made an impact this term too, scoring United's winner in the 3-2 victory over Burnley before the international break.

Sunday's derby now presents a fresh and immediate test of his captaincy. United have four points from their opening three Premier League fixtures and head to the Etihad trying to halt City's recent dominance in the fixture.

Pep Guardiola's side have lost their last two league games after winning on the opening weekend and will be desperate to respond in front of their own fans.

All eyes will be on Fernandes to see whether he can lead from the front and silence his critics in United's biggest domestic game of the season so far.

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