Manchester United have been caught up in controversy after the contentious 1-0 defeat to Manchester City with their players and manager under pressure
Manchester United have endured a turbulent 48 hours from a controversial 1-0 loss to Manchester City to pressure mounting on Michael Carrick and his team.
The Red Devils suffered a 1-0 defeat in the Manchester derby on Sunday, thanks to Erling Haaland’s contentious winning goal, which should have been ruled offside. After the final whistle, Pro Ref officials conceded the goal should not have been allowed, labelling the decision an “error of judgment”.
Haaland’s goal handed United their second league defeat of the season, leaving them languishing in 13th place in the table after four matches. The home loss saw several of United’s star players come under fire, including captain Bruno Fernandes who was involved in another row over the red card shown to City’s Phil Foden. Here’s all the latest news from Old Trafford.
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Criticism of Rashford
Manchester United icon Jaap Stam expressed his frustration at Marcus Rashford’s failure to track back, along with team-mates Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes during Sunday’s loss.
The Dutchman accused the attacking foursome of lacking intensity in the build-up to Haaland’s decisive strike, reports the Mirror.
The former defender said: “It’s a long ball, they win it, City takes over and look at the front four [of United].
“They’re just walking, they’re just looking at the situation. A team that really wants to win, the strikers, it’s about all the 11, it’s about chasing.
“Against 10 men, it’s about tracking back, it’s about winning battles. From then on, you keep possession, you go out in transition and then you try to create and score goals.”
Bruno Fernandes in the firing line
Bruno Fernandes has been told he should have faced punishment for his part in Foden’s red card.
Former PGMOL boss and FIFA referee Keith Hackett reckons Fernandes should have been cautioned at minimum for his involvement in the flashpoint.
He told Football Insider. “I think this is an interesting one. The minimum that the Man United player should have received is a yellow card because his actions were reckless.
“But it was a kick. So I’m actually saying he should have received a sanction. I’ve already spoken to one or two colleagues who believe that he should have been sent off.
“But the thing that persuades me towards yellow and against red is I don’t think there was any excessive force and I generally don’t think there was malice in it.”
Ex-United captain Roy Keane also believed Fernandes was also at fault. He said: “Bruno goes in, tackles him, clearly fouls him and gives him a little boot on the floor. Foden gets up, does react, and he’s now sent off.
“I’m guessing it’s classed as violent conduct, but to me Bruno’s the one who’s violent here. I have to call it out.”
He added: “Did the player give the referee a chance [to send him off]? Foden’s a bit daft here, but so is Bruno. If Bruno got sent off for that and nothing happened with Foden then we’d be saying, ‘Do you know what, Bruno was a bit daft, a bit silly’.”
Meanwhile, former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher condemned Fernandes on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
He said: “What I would say is two yellows [cards] would have been fine. But I was really disappointed with Bruno Fernandes.
“There’s a lot of things in football that we like or we don’t like. My big one that I really don’t like is people going down, pretending they’re hurt. But doing that…I can’t have it.”
He added: “I’m not having the reaction from Bruno there, it was a brush from his foot.”