Manchester United Fernandes Misses Penalty After Referee Collision vs Fulham

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes missed a crucial penalty during their 1-1 Premier League draw against Fulham, an incident that sparked debate over referee Chris Kavanagh's involvement. Kavanagh accidentally bumped into Fernandes as he was preparing to take the spot kick, which visibly upset the midfielder, who said the lack of an apology from the referee triggered his frustration, although he did not blame the official for the miss. Former referee Keith Hackett criticized Kavanagh's handling of the situation, stating there was no reason for the physical contact and that it was poor procedure. Despite the incident, Fernandes admitted the miss was due to a poor strike rather than the referee's interference. Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim noted the miss had a significant impact on Fernandes' performance and mood during the game. The event has drawn attention to the importance of referee conduct during penalty kicks and the psychological effects on players.