Bruno Fernandes: What Football Laws Say About Serious Foul Play After Tottenham Red
- Bruno Fernandes' sending-off against Tottenham Hotspur made fodder for a heated public debate on September 29
- The Manchester United captain was sent for an early shower after he was adjudged to have caught James Maddison
- Briefly News looks at the football rules used to send off United's number 8 as his side crumbled to another heavy defeat
Manchester United's pathetic start to the season continued after they suffered another heavy defeat at home to a top-six club.
Tottenham Hotspur put three goals past the Red Devils to pile more pressure on an already embattled Erik ten Hag.
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The home side were reduced to 10 men on the stroke of halftime after Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a dangerous challenge on James Maddison. Spurs came back after the break and added two more goals to secure all three points.
Bruno Fernandes' red card vs Tottenham
Even before the red card, the Red Devils were already out of their depth. There was a brief resurgence in the second half, but the man disadvantage proved to be too steep of a climb at the end.
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It was the first time in his 242 appearances for the club that Fernandes had been sent off. Never one to shy off from taking responsibility, the skipper showed up for the press conference and criticised Kavanagh for the decision.
"It was never a red card; that is my view. I agree that it is a foul… yellow card? I can accept, but it is never a foul worth a red card," he told Sky Sports.
Why Fernandes was sent off vs Tottenham
The Premier League was quick to explain that the Portuguese international had been sent off for serious foul play. But what do the laws of the game say about serious foul play and how is it determined?
What football rules say about serious foul play
Law 12 of Football Rules states that serious foul play is one way a player can be sent off.
"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 further 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."
It is important to note that, like most decisions in football, this remains at the referee's discretion. Video replays show that Fernandes slipped before making slight contact with Maddison's leg.
Did Bruno Fernandes deserve the red card?
What worked against the 30-year-old was that he came into the challenge studs up. Did the officials take into account the slip and the fact that he didn't catch Maddison as initially thought? The Spurs midfielder himself is said to have thought the challenge only deserved a yellow card.
We don't have to go further back to find a similar incident that was adjudged differently. This weekend's early kickoff at St.James Park saw Mateo Kovacic lunge into Sandro Tonali's studs up, catching him right on the ankle.
The Croat escaped with only a booking despite replays showing that his tackle was much worse than what Fernandes did. Either way, the captain will be the first person to know that red card or not; it was a silly foul to make.
Which games will Bruno Fernandes miss?
Ten Hag will now have to make do without his captain, who will be banned for three games. Fernandes will miss Premier League assignments against Aston Villa, Brentford and West Ham United.
Coaches who could replace Erik ten Hag
Briefly News earlier listed four coaches who could take Erik ten Hag's place if Man United decides to fire him.
First-team coach Ruud van Nistelrooy is the leading candidate alongside former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who is jobless.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
