THE PREMIER LEAGUE have released a 25-word statement following the controversial decision to send off Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes during the club’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham.
The Red Devils captain can be seen to lift his boot towards the knee of Maddison after slipping with his standing leg as he went to pressure the ball.
An explanation for the decision came from the Premier League’s Match Centre on social media.
The statement read: “The referee issued a red card to Fernandes for a challenge on Maddison. The VAR checked and confirmed the referee’s call of serious foul play.”
The Portuguese also claimed that Maddison admitted it was also not a red card – with the pair seen conversing as Fernandes walked off the pitch.
He said: “I just wanted to come and talk and be myself because my team-mates deserve that for what they have done in the game playing with one man less – particularly as I was the man sent off, the one that let them down.
“I think we struggled a bit and then the red card makes it worse. I have to appreciate all the effort my team-mates have done to try and return to the game, but it wasn’t possible.
“The team showed a lot of character, a lot of resilience, a lot of fight. They tried. It wasn’t easy.
“No one likes to be sent off. It’s not a good feeling. We end up conceding another two goals.
“I don’t go in with the studs, it’s a clear foul but never a red card. Maddison said it is a foul but it’s not a red card.
Man Utd blasted by pundits after horror Tottenham mauling
“If this is a red card we have to look at other incidents. I think it’s never a red card. It’s a foul if he wants to give a yellow.
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“I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t call the referee to the screen.’
Rules on ‘serious foul play’
According to the FA’s rulebook, serious foul play is defined as being: “A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
“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.”
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United had gone down inside three minutes through Brennan Johnson before the 42nd-minute sending-off.
Things went from bad to worse in the second half, with Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke scoring to pile on the misery for Erik ten Hag‘s side, who have now lost back-to-back home league games 3-0.
On the incident, Ten Hag added: “The red card changes the game. I don’t think it was a red card.”
The decision to send him off proved controversial, with Jamie Redknapp, Ashley Young and Darren Bent saying it was harsh.
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MARK HALSEY: Questions must be asked after Bruno Fernandes was sent off for Man Utd against Tottenham
IN real time Bruno Fernandes’ first-half challenge on James Maddison looked a poor one.
And based on an immediate viewing, it seemed ref Chris Kavanagh’s decision to show a red card was the correct one.
But replays clearly showed he slipped and his foot did not make contact as high on Maddison’s leg as it first seemed.
In these circumstances a ref has to consider whether a challenge was reckless, which would be worthy of a caution, or if it has endangered a player’s safety with excessive force and brutality — a red-card offence.
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Looking back at the footage, you would have to say it was reckless rather than a case of serious foul play.
There should be no criticism of Kavanagh as he only gets one view of it.
But the question to ask is why VAR Peter Bankes did not get involved, as he sees what we see.
If VAR had recommended a review I’m sure Kavanagh would have changed his mind.
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Asked if he deserved to go for an early bath, Redknapp replied: “No, he slips, his feet go under him. I think it is a yellow card.”
Young added: “I don’t think it’s serious foul play or it’s reckless. Yes, he is out of control, but he slips, I don’t think he goes to take out Maddison.”
And Bent reacted: “First time I saw it I thought that it was naughty. But he slips and it is more petulant than anything. It is a poor decision, a bad one, a poor one.”
Under-fire Ten Hag said he would continue to back his captain ahead of the game: “Every season it’s the same and at the end of the season.
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“Bruno created the most chances in the PL and scored a lot of goals. I’m not worried.”
MANCHESTER UNITED suffered a 3-0 thrashing against Tottenham at Old Trafford.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off in the first half for fouling James Maddison, forcing Erik Ten Hag’s side to play with 10 men against Ange Postecoglou’s team.
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After back-to-back draws against Crystal Palace and FC Twente fans hoped United would redeem themselves against Spurs.
However, the match at Old Trafford quickly turned sour. Brennan Johnson scored early and things worsened when Fernandes was sent off allowing Spurs to extend their lead to 3-0.
And here is how SunSports Charlie Wyett rated the Manchester United stars.
Andre Onana – 5
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Stood his ground to deliver a good save from Timo Werner who was clean through – no chance for either goal.
Noussair Mazraoui – 5
First in the refs’ book for chopping down Destiny Udogie. Could also have blocked Micky van de Ven for the goal. Just watched Solanke make it 3-0.
Matthijs de Ligt – 4
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Shocking first half. Failed to cut out the cross from Micky van de Ven which led to the first goal.
Lisandro Martinez – 5
Switched off for the Spurs goal and was drawn to the ball and Johnson was left unmarked.
Diogo Dalot – 5
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Gave the ball away in dangerous areas and struggled against Johnson.
Manuel Ugarte – 5
Suffered a stinker and was lucky to last until the 73rd minute.
Kobbie Mainoo – 5
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Not one of his better performances and was taken off just before half-time following Fernandes’ sending-off.
Marcus Rashford – 5
Over-ran the ball for Tottenham’s first. Way off the pace.
Bruno Fernandes – 4
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Arguably the worst captain in United’s history. Deserved red card for his challenge on James Maddison.
Alejandro Garnacho – 6
Had United’s only chance in the first half but hit the outside of the post. Improved in the second half.
Joshua Zirkzee – 5
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Looked completely lost up front – threatening to be another poor Erik ten Hag signing. Replaced at half-time.
But she still remembers growing up poor in Belem, the North of Brazil, doing anything she could to get by.
Pacheco, 30, said: “It was tough, we lived in a wooden house, ten people in there.
“Eventually I moved out, asking for favours, hopping from house to house never owning anything but there was always love and that’s what really mattered.
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“I remember houses we lived in were on top of a hole, there was not even a place for us to go to the bathroom, sanitation wasn’t even a thing. So we made it through.”
Pacheco began training in Muay Thai aged 15 in a bid to earn a living through fighting – meanwhile working any and all jobs in between.
She said: “I started working at the local market at a very young age helping my family.
“I used to wake up a 4am and help us set up. From there I’d train 10-12 and after training it was a free-for-all. Whatever was available.
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“Whatever I could do to bring some additional income in I would. If it was mowing lawns, I would do that, if it was helping someone move in or move out, I’d do that too.
“Carrying stuff, sowing, anything that could give me a couple of extra bucks.”
Pacheco made her pro MMA debut in 2012 and amassed an unbeaten record in Brazil before signing for the UFC.
Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
Those reader consensus picks will be part of the main card staff predictions we release ahead of PFL: Battle of the Giants (DAZN/ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at The Mayadeen in Riyadh.
Make your picks below.
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Taha Bendaoud vs. Tariq Ismail
Records: Bendaoud (3-0), Ismail (8-1) Past five: Bendaoud 3-0, Ismail 4-1 Division: Featherweight Rankings: None Odds (as of 10.14.24): N/A
Mostafa Nada vs. Ahmed Sami
Records: Nada (9-3), Sami (11-4) Past five: Nada 5-0, Sami 3-2 Division: Middleweight Rankings: None Odds (as of 10.14.24): Nada -185, Sami +145
A welterweight fight with fireworks written all over it has just been added to UFC 310 as Bryan Battle looks to extend his four-fight unbeaten streak when he faces Randy Brown on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed the matchup to MMA Fighting on Monday after Battle’s management team initially announced the fight.
Battle scored his latest victory at UFC Paris in September when he took out Kevin Jousset with a vicious second round TKO and improving his overall record with the promotion to 6-1 with one no contest along the way. Following his most recent win, Battle hoped for an even bigger matchup in his next fight and the UFC obviously granted his wish.
Meanwhile, Brown looks for his fourth win in a row in the welterweight division after taking out Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, Muslim Salikhov and Wellington Turman in consecutive appearances. Brown was briefly linked to a potential fight against streaking welterweight contender Carlos Prates but the Brazilian ended up booked against Neil Magny in November instead.
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Now Brown faces off with Battle in a potential fight that could earn the winner a top 15 ranking.
LAS VEGAS – The pre-fight activities are in the books for Dana White’s Contender Series 76 following Monday’s official weigh-ins and faceoffs.
For the 10th and final event of the season, 10 fighters will vie for UFC contracts in their fights, including middleweights Nick Klein (5-1) and Heraldo Souza (9-1-1), who headline the show.
At the conclusion of the official weigh-ins, the fighters came face to face for staredowns. Check out the highlights in the video above and a photo gallery from the weigh-ins and faceoffs below.
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Dana White’s Contender Series 76 takes place Tuesday and streams on ESPN+.
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