The Premier League have confirmed why VAR did not overturn Bruno Fernandes’ red card against Tottenham following a contentious decision by the referee who adjudged him guilty of serious foul play.
Fernandes appeared to slip during his tackle on James Maddison. Manchester United’s captain made an attempt to challenge the Spurs midfielder who was on the charge from his own half.
A slip resulted in Fernandes raising his leg and making contact with Maddison’s knee. Referee Chris Kavanagh didn’t hesitate to show the straight red card, a decision upheld by VAR official Peter Bankes, sparking outrage amongst Fernandes and his team-mates who vehemently protested.
Fernandes reluctantly left the field, with United ultimately suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat. Shortly after his dismissal, the Premier League Match Centre disclosed the reasoning behind Fernandes’ red.
They said: “The referee issued a red card to Fernandes for a challenge on Maddison. The VAR checked and confirmed the referee’s call of serious foul play.”
The FA defines serious foul play in their rulebook as a situation where “a tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.”
It goes on to say: “Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”
Fernandes was furious with the decision and said post-match: “I think in the eyes of everyone, you can see that is never a red card because if this is a red card I think we have to look at many other incidents.
“I had many incidents when I get kicked and everything, and I’ve never seen something so quick coming off as a red card. I just think it’s never a red card.
“I don’t go with the studs, I take him with my ankle. It’s a clear foul but never a red card. That’s my feeling. Even Maddison, when he gets up, you can see in the image… he just said, ‘It’s a foul but it’s never a red card’. That’s what he said.”
Legendary former United captain Gary Neville lambasted Fernandes after his red card, making no bones about the team’s performance.
“It just sums up Manchester United in this first half, to be fair they’ve been an absolute disgrace. It’s one of the worst performances I’ve seen in Erik ten Hag’s time at Manchester United and that’s saying something,” he said on Sky Sports.
“It’s been really bad. And he will not be able to believe what he’s watched. I’m not talking patterns of play, I’m talking application to a football match. And now, his captain sent off.”
“When players react like that, it means something has gone on that we haven’t seen initially. He’s gone knee high Bruno Fernandes. I think he slips just before the tackle but he’s not going to get away with it.”
However, Jamie Redknapp, the former Spurs midfielder, countered that a yellow card might have been the fairer option.
He explained: “He slips as he comes in to try to win the challenge. It’s petty, it was a bit petulant. He sticks out his right leg. When you actually see it in slow motion, his feet go under him and he just sticks out his leg, I think it’s a yellow card.”
