Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed what James Maddison said to him after he was sent off in their defeat to Tottenham.
United’s poor start to the season continued as they were convincingly beaten 3-0 by Spurs at Old Trafford to ramp up the pressure on Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils are languishing in 12th with a minus three goal difference and just two wins from their opening six games.
Fernandes reveals what Maddison told him after red card
Ange Postecoglou’s side made a brilliant start as they took the lead through Brennan Johnson after superb work from Micky van de Ven, who virtually ran the whole length of the pitch before squaring it to the Wales international to fire home.
The games flashpoint came just before half time as Fernandes was sent off for a foul on Maddison, with the decision certainly dividing opinion.
Fernandes caught Maddison high up, although it appears he slips and it doesn’t seem like there was any malice or intent, but the referee was very quick to brandish the red card.
The Portugal international made the task for his team that much harder, with Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke piling more misery on United with second half goals.
Speaking after the game Fernandes apologised and revealed what Maddison had said to him after the incident.
“I don’t go at him with my studs, I take him with my ankle and it’s a clear foul but never a red card,” he told reporters.
“That’s my feeling and even Maddison when he gets up, he said: ‘It is a foul but it’s never a red card’, that’s what he said.”
“In the eyes of everyone you can see it’s never a red card because if this is a red card we have to look at many other incidents.”
Fernandes will now be suspended for United’s next three Premier League games starting with Sunday’s trip to Villa Park before games against Brentford and West Ham.