BRUNO FERNANDES fluffed his lines from the spot as Manchester United’s winless start continued.
The Red Devils captain blazed over the bar after ref Chris Kavanagh bumped into him as he prepared to take his penalty.
Fernandes rapped Kavanagh for failing to apologise but insisted the incident was not the reason for his miss.
And to pile more misery on United, Fulham grabbed a late equaliser through Emile Smith Rowe to cancel out Rodrigo Muniz’s 58th- minute own goal.
Fernandes said: “Every penalty you have your own routines, you have things you do.
“It upset me because the referee didn’t apologise and that was what triggered me in the moment. But that was not the excuse to miss.
“I just had a bad hit. I put my foot too under the ball and that’s why it ended up going over the bar.
“We cannot be satisfied with one point. It is very disappointing to not win.”
Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim now has a Prem win percentage of 24.1 with just SEVEN victories in his 29 games since November — and a paltry 28 points.
United’s one point from two games leaves them 16th in the table following the opening-day defeat to Arsenal last Sunday.
Amorim said: “We have to grow up a lot as a team. We scored the goal and hen we forgot about how we play, everyone on the pitch was thinking, ‘Let’s hold on to the advantage and try to win the game’.
“We were not smart at that moment. Fernandes has so much responsibility with him that I felt the lack of joy [when he missed].
“Now we have to move forward no matter what happens.”
Fernandes’ penalty was awarded after a lengthy VAR review which deemed that Calvin Bassey had wrestled Mason Mount to the ground.
But Fulham defender Bassey claims it was “justice” that Fernandes skied his effort.
He said: “I didn’t think it was a penalty. I can understand why it was given but it was harsh.
“I’m trying to stay strong because I know the block’s coming and then I’ve pulled him over my foot.
The miss was justice!
Calvin Bassey
“But the ref has got to protect us as well. I am strong, so it looks a bit more aggressive.
“If it was someone stronger [than Mount], I don’t think it looks as bad. There is a fine line between giving a foul away and getting away with it.
“We just have to try to be clever. The miss was justice!”
There was also controversy with United’s opener.
Leny Yoro appeared to push Bassey before his header went in off Muniz.
WHEN THE BASS DROPS
Bassey insisted: “It’s a foul. He pushed me to stop me getting to the ball.
“When the ref looks back on it, he will be disappointed. I can’t say too much before I get a fine.
“But come on, it’s a foul. When you’ve got to jump, any little touch can put you off.
“He’s got two hands on my back. How much worse do you need?”
Fulham boss Marco Silva agreed and said: “I would like to explain everything about the VAR decisions but can’t.
“I saw what everyone in the stadium, everyone around the world saw.
“Two players were isolated at a corner and one player pushed the other to head the ball.
“I would like those decisions to always be the same. Simple as that.”
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