Fulham receives three red cards and manager sent off in chaotic few minutes against Manchester United
Fulham, a Premier League team, was eliminated from the FA Cup quarterfinals by Manchester United by a score of 3-1 on Sunday despite having two players and its manager sent off.
Once the visitors were up 1-0 in the second half at Old Trafford, chaos ensued, leading to a penalty and three red cards in the span of just a few minutes.
Willian of Fulham used his arm to deflect a shot from Jadon Sancho, setting off a dramatic chain of events.
Referee Chris Kavanagh had signaled for a corner kick, but VAR had alerted him to check the pitch-side monitor, where it was evident that Willian had used his arm.
Kavanagh was about to make a call when Fulham manager Marco Silva was sent off for his angry reaction from the sidelines.
Aleksandar Mitrovic, the striker for Fulham, reacted angrily once again after the referee sent off Willian and gave United a penalty.
The 28-year-old, who had just given Fulham the lead, pushed the referee and was heard screaming in his face after Kavanagh pointed to the penalty spot.
The striker had to be dragged away from the field after Kavanagh brandished a red card and immediately sent him off.
After United went down 2-0, Bruno Fernandes scored from the penalty spot to ignite a comeback. United eventually tied the game on goals from Marcel Sabitzer and Fernandes in stoppage time.
Fulham manager Marco Silva admitted after the game that he needed to calm down after his team was denied a penalty in the first half.
To the media, he said, “Of course, in all the moments of the game, we should control the emotions.” He went on to say that his team hadn’t had much “luck” with referee Kavanagh this season.
Of course we’re human, but we need to know the rules of the game we’re in and keep our emotions in check.
“[Mitrovic] should control the emotions of the game,” Silva chimed in. Still, even if the verdict went against us.
“Even if he had two opportunities inside the box in the first half that the referee didn’t give, at least one for him, and nobody told the referee to check the video,” the coach said.
He was there for everything, and it’s been hard on him. He must also learn to rein in his feelings.
The penalty for Mitrovic putting his hands on the referee is unknown at this time.
Chris Sutton, a former striker for the English Premier League, told the BBC that the striker deserved a “10-game ban” because his reaction could send a bad message to young players in amateur leagues.
Paolo Di Canio of West Ham was suspended for 11 games in 1998 after pushing referee Paul Alcock.
However, Silva believes that his player can achieve better results.
“I hope the people who are going to decide do so with the fairness that the moment deserves,” he continued.
The victory sets up a semifinal match between Manchester United and Brighton; the winner will play the victor between Manchester City and Sheffield United. If you’re looking for more football action, don’t miss our OKBET Review for the latest news and updates.
