The Premier League has reached a final verdict regarding Bruno Fernandes’ controversial red card after Manchester United lodged an appeal following their 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Fernandes, who captains the Red Devils, was sent off for a foul on Spurs’ playmaker James Maddison during the first half of the match.
At the time of the incident, Tottenham held a slim 1-0 lead, but the game took a significant turn after Fernandes’ dismissal. Spurs capitalized on their numerical advantage, adding two more goals in the second half, courtesy of Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke, to secure a comfortable victory.
Fernandes was shown a straight red card for what was deemed serious foul play, which would have sidelined him for United’s next three crucial Premier League fixtures against Aston Villa, Brentford, and West Ham. However, after reviewing the incident, the Premier League decided to overturn the red card, agreeing with United’s claim of wrongful dismissal. This decision ensures that Fernandes will remain available for upcoming matches, providing a much-needed boost to Erik ten Hag’s side.
Despite the contentious red card, Fernandes took responsibility in the aftermath of the defeat, stepping up to fulfill media duties and defend his actions during the match. Speaking to Sky Sports, the Portuguese midfielder expressed his frustration with the decision, pointing out that even James Maddison, the player involved in the challenge, believed the red card was unwarranted.
“James himself said it wasn’t a red card. If this is considered a red card, then we have to revisit a lot of other challenges in the league,” Fernandes argued. He also questioned why VAR didn’t ask the on-field referee to take another look at the incident. “I don’t understand why VAR didn’t recommend that the referee review the footage. The red card only made things harder for us,” he added.
In the same interview, Fernandes praised the resilience and character of his teammates, who battled hard to try and salvage the game despite being a man down for much of the match. “I have to give credit to my teammates for all their hard work and determination to turn things around, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough,” he said.
On the day of the match, the Premier League’s official Match Centre Twitter account confirmed that VAR had checked the challenge and upheld referee Chris Kavanagh’s decision of serious foul play, supporting the issuance of the red card.
Their statement read: “The referee gave a red card to Fernandes for his challenge on Maddison. VAR reviewed the incident and confirmed the original decision of serious foul play.” Despite this initial confirmation, United’s successful appeal has now cleared Fernandes to continue leading his team without any suspension.