Bruno Fernandes: Manchester United captain’s red card overturned on appeal

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has avoided a ban after the club successfully appealed against his red card in Sunday’s loss to Tottenham.

The 30-year-old was shown a straight red card for a foul on Spurs midfielder James Maddison and would have faced a three-match suspension for serious foul play.

However, United successfully argued that the decision to send him off was wrong and Fernandes will now be available for his side’s forthcoming Premier League fixtures against Aston Villa, Brentford and West Ham.

Erik ten Hag’s side were 1-0 down when Fernandes was sent off and proceeded to lose 3-0, their third league defeat of the campaign.

The incident came in the 42nd minute at Old Trafford with Fernandes slipping and sticking out a leg to catch Maddison halfway up his shin as he went past him.

“Never a red card – that is my view,” Fernandes told BBC Match of the Day after the game. “I agree that it is 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.”

United’s next match is against Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before they return to league action against Villa on Sunday.