Bruno Fernandes has said the incident that saw him sent off in Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham was ‘never a red card’.
Fernandes was sent off in the first half of a disastrous defeat for the Red Devils, who were trailing 1-0 at the time of the captain’s dismissal.
The Portugal international caught James Maddison high on the leg with Chris Kavanagh reaching for the red card. Fernandes slipped as he closed down Maddison before the initial contact and the 30-year-old believes the referee’s call was the wrong one.
Spurs, who were dominant even before Fernandes was sent off, pressed on with their man advantage and extended their lead through goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke, after Brennan Johnson’s early opener.
“I just wanted to come and talk [do the interview] and be myself because my team-mates deserve that for what they have done in the game playing with one man less. Particularly as I was the man sent off, the one that let them down,” Fernandes said speaking to BBC Match of the Day:
“The team showed a lot of character, a lot of resilience, a lot of fight. They tried. It wasn’t easy.”
‘Never a red card’ – Fernandes on dismissal
On the red card incident, he added: “Never a red card, that is my view. I agree that it is a foul but it is never a foul. The referee tried to tell me that as he saw 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. It is a clear foul.
“If he wants to give me a yellow because they are going to go on a counter then I agree. But more than that, no. It is not the case.”
Fernandes reflected on the game and admitted Manchester United were second-best even before going down to 10 men.
“Yes I think we struggled a bit. We tried to force it a little bit, to rush it and go too quick. When they have the high line we made mistakes on the ball and then we got punished and it didn’t go the way we wanted from there.
“Then the red card makes it worse. I have to appreciate all the effort my team-mates have done to try and return to the game but it wasn’t possible. They showed great effort and character and I was happy for that.”
