Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag had defended Casemiro after a Premier League red card against bottom club Southampton that leaves the midfielder facing a four-match ban.
Casemiro was dismissed after 34 minutes of the 0-0 draw for a tackle on Carlos Alcaraz, but Ten Hag has not ruled out an appeal.
The midfielder’s sending off followed a VAR review, with referee Anthony Taylor overturning his initial decision to show a yellow card for a tackle that hit the top of the ball first before going into Southampton forward Alcaraz’s leg.
As Casemiro was also dismissed against Crystal Palace last month, an additional game will be added to an automatic three-match ban, meaning he won’t be able to play a domestic match again until the trip to Nottingham Forest on 15 April.
“When you freeze anything it looks bad – but everyone who knows something about top football knows what is bad and what is fair,” said Ten Hag. “And Casemiro is a really fair player. Tough but fair.
“It shows, he had played over 500 games in big leagues and never been sent off. Now it has happened twice.”
Ten Hag complained about the lack of consistency in the use of VAR, noting the referee was not sent to the monitor to review controversial incidents in Saturday’s game between Leicester and Chelsea.
Despite having a man advantage for almost an hour and managing 17 shots, Southampton were unable to capitalise and remain bottom of the Premier League.
Even before Casemiro’s early exit, David de Gea needed to make a brilliant reaction save to turn away Theo Walcott’s close-range header.
De Gea then produced a one-handed save after the break when Walcott ran clear of the home defence, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka cleared off the line when Scott McTominay turned a Kyle Walker-Peters cross towards his own goal. In addition, James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick skimmed of the top of the bar and Walker-Peters also hit a post with an angled drive.
United had some dangerous moments themselves, with captain Bruno Fernandes’ goalbound effort tipped on to the inside of a post by Gavin Bazunu.
The result consolidated United’s top-four position, whilst Southampton are effectively three points from safety given their goal difference, with 12 games of the campaign remaining.
Southampton show improvement
Despite their position in the table, Southampton’s form is good.
They have now picked up seven points from four games since Nathan Jones was sacked on 12 February.
It represents their most productive run since August and Wednesday’s rearranged game with Brentford does offer the opportunity for Ruben Selles’ side to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time since the end of October.
Nevertheless, their goalscoring is a concern – in only one league match since August have they scored more than once. They had the chances to improve that statistic at Old Trafford but couldn’t make them count.
Casemiro’s ill discipline
Casemiro has been one of the key reasons behind United’s improvement this season.
But the positivity around the Brazilian is in danger of being undermined by his disciplinary record.
Sent off against Crystal Palace last month for grabbing Will Hughes round the neck following a mass confrontation, his latest red card was also triggered by the intervention of VAR.
Casemiro did play the top of the ball first but Taylor decided the tackle was dangerous.
Ten Hag said Casemiro was emotional in the dressing room afterwards.
“He is disappointed,” Ten Hag said.
Unless United manage a successful appeal, the four-match suspension would rule him out of next week’s FA Cup quarter-final with Fulham, plus the three Premier League games that follow.
Player of the match
S ArmstrongStuart Armstrong
Manchester United
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Squad number10Player nameRashfordAverage rating
5.49
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Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating
5.46
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Squad number6Player nameLi MartínezAverage rating
5.21
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Squad number19Player nameVaraneAverage rating
5.16
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Squad number29Player nameWan-BissakaAverage rating
5.14
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Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating
5.08
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Squad number49Player nameGarnachoAverage rating
5.05
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Squad number39Player nameMcTominayAverage rating
4.97
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Squad number28Player namePellistriAverage rating
4.89
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Squad number25Player nameSanchoAverage rating
4.85
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Squad number27Player nameWeghorstAverage rating
4.81
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Squad number21Player nameAntonyAverage rating
4.57
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Squad number5Player nameMaguireAverage rating
4.56
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Squad number8Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
4.55
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Squad number18Player nameCasemiroAverage rating
4.43
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Squad number17Player nameFredAverage rating
4.41
Southampton
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Squad number17Player nameS ArmstrongAverage rating
7.91
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Squad number8Player nameWard-ProwseAverage rating
7.15
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Squad number31Player nameBazunu
Average rating7.10
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Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters
Average rating6.98
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Squad number45Player nameLavia
Average rating6.96
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Squad number20Player nameSulemana
Average rating6.82
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Squad number26Player nameAlcaraz
Average rating6.82
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Squad number15Player namePerraud
Average rating6.81
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Squad number32Player nameWalcott
Average rating6.80
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Squad number37Player nameBella-Kotchap
Average rating6.79
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Squad number35Player nameBednarek
Average rating6.78
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Squad number10Player nameAdams
Average rating6.56
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Squad number12Player nameOnuachu
Average rating6.56
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Squad number18Player nameMara
Average rating6.50
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Squad number9Player nameA Armstrong
Average rating6.43
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1de Gea
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 19Varane
- 6Li MartínezBooked at 10minsSubstituted forMaguireat 90′minutes
- 23ShawBooked at 90mins
- 18CasemiroBooked at 34mins
- 21AntonySubstituted forPellistriat 74′minutes
- 25SanchoSubstituted forGarnachoat 73′minutesSubstituted forFredat 90+1′minutes
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 10Rashford
- 27WeghorstSubstituted forMcTominayat 44′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Maguire
- 12Malacia
- 17Fred
- 20Dalot
- 22Heaton
- 28Pellistri
- 39McTominay
- 49Garnacho
- 73Mainoo
Southampton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Bazunu
- 2Walker-Peters
- 35Bednarek
- 37Bella-Kotchap
- 15Perraud
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 45Lavia
- 32WalcottSubstituted forOnuachuat 85′minutes
- 26AlcarazSubstituted forS Armstrongat 55′minutes
- 20SulemanaSubstituted forA Armstrongat 76′minutes
- 10AdamsSubstituted forMaraat 76′minutes
Substitutes
- 1McCarthy
- 6Caleta-Car
- 9A Armstrong
- 12Onuachu
- 17S Armstrong
- 18Mara
- 22Salisu
- 24Elyounoussi
- 27Diallo
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 73,439
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Manchester United 0, Southampton 0.
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Second Half ends, Manchester United 0, Southampton 0.
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Luke Shaw (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Sékou Mara (Southampton) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Luke Shaw (Manchester United).
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Armel Bella-Kotchap (Southampton).
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Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Facundo Pellistri.
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Foul by James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
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Fred (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Manchester United. Fred replaces Alejandro Garnacho because of an injury.
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Substitution, Manchester United. Harry Maguire replaces Lisandro Martínez.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match (Southampton).
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Substitution, Southampton. Paul Onuachu replaces Theo Walcott.
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Attempt blocked. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United).
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Kyle Walker-Peters.
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Substitution, Southampton. Sékou Mara replaces Che Adams.
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