‘I let them down’ – Bruno Fernandes on his red card in Tottenham loss
‘I let them down’ – Bruno Fernandes on his red card in Tottenham loss. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes believes he shouldn’t have been sent off during Man United’s loss to Tottenham Hotspur, but admits he did let his teammates down regardless.
The Red Devils were humiliated 3-0 by Spurs at Old Trafford on Sunday. Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson scored early on, and the visitors ought to have scored more before Fernandes’ dismissal on the stroke of half-time.
The United captain picked up a red card for a high challenge on James Maddison‘s shin, though he protested his innocence as he had slipped before trying to make the tackle.
Fernandes’ pleas were dismissed by both referee Chris Kavanagh and the VAR. United went on to concede again twice in the second half, as a miserable defeat for the Red Devils was confirmed.
During the post-match interview, Fernandes fronted up for the BBC Sport cameras, to apologise to his United teammates.
“I just wanted to come and talk [do the interview] and be myself because my teammates 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,” he began.
“The team showed a lot of character, a lot of resilience, a lot of fight. They tried. It wasn’t easy.
“Never a red card, that is my view. I agree that it is a foul but it is never [a red card]. 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.
“I think we struggled a bit [before the red card]. We tried to force it a little bit, to rush it and go too quick. When they have the high line we made mistakes on the ball and then we got punished and it didn’t go the way we wanted from there.
“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. They showed great effort and character and I was happy for that.”
