Manchester United’s Fernandes set to avoid FA ban over assistant referee ‘nudge’
Manchester United attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes is set to avoid punishment from the Football Association (FA) despite appearing to make contact with a referee’s assistant during his side’s humiliating 7-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.
The Portuguese player looked to have put his hand on the assistant referee, and appeared to nudge him, deep into the second half of the drubbing on Sunday having gotten into a tussle with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold over a throw-in.
The linesman did appear to tough Fernandes as much as the midfielder touched the linesman, and the FA are set to avoid handing him a punishment, PA reports.
Elsewhere in the record loss for Manchester United, Fernandes was seen clutching his face and falling to the ground after minor contact to the upper chest.
But Martin Cassidy, chief executive of charity Ref Support UK, told the PA news agency he felt Fernandes deserved “at least a five-game ban” for the nudge, saying: “To get in contact with a match official is a serious offence and should be treated in such a way.
Eyes turn to European action this week for Manchester United with Erik ten Hag’s men taking on Real Betis in the first leg of their Round of 16 Europa League tie while Liverpool must wait until next week for their return Champions League leg against Real Madrid, where they’re looking to overcome a 5-2 first leg result.