Bruno Fernandes claims James Maddison backed him in red card controversy in Man Utd vs. Tottenham

Feargal Brennan

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Bruno Fernandes claims James Maddison backed him in red card controversy in Man Utd vs. Tottenham image

Manchester United's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham featured a host of disasters for the Red Devils on home soil.

Erik ten Hag faces more questions on his future at Old Trafford as his team produced a poor performance on a miserable rain-soaked afternoon in Manchester.

Spurs simply overpowered his team with goals at the start of both halves, via Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski, before Dominic Solanke wrapped up the victory for Ange Postecoglu's team.

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However, the main half-time talking point for the home team focused on a controversial red card for captain Bruno Fernandes, just before the break.

Referee Chris Kavanagh immediately dismissed the Portugal international as he appeared to catch James Maddison with a late tackle in midfield.

Replays showed Fernandes slipping as he made contact with Maddison, but Kavanagh rejected his appeals, with no VAR review of the incident.

Fernandes requested to cover post-match media duties for the home team and he claimed Kavanagh made a major error which Maddison also objected to.

"It's never a red card, that is my view. I agree it's a foul but it's never a red card. The referee tried to tell me that as he saw it, it was a clear contact with the studs, no. I didn't touch him with the studs or even the foot, it was my ankle", he said.

"Even James Maddison, when he gets up, said it’s not a red card!

"If this is a red card we have to look at many other incidents. It's a foul, there is not much contact, if he [the referee] wants to give me a yellow I agree. I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t call him to the screen."

United are yet to confirm if they will appeal against the decision, with an automatic three-game Premier League now triggered, as per rules on straight red cards.

If it is upheld, he will miss next weekend's trip to Aston Villa, followed by league games against Brentford and West Ham United after the international break.

Feargal Brennan

Feargal Brennan Photo

Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta's 'Reds' and Kenny's Ireland 'Greens' and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.