- Bruno Fernandes was elbowed by Sunderland player
- Former PGMOL referee defends VAR decision
- Sparks debate around force once again
Sunderland’s Nilson Angulo narrowly avoided a red card against Manchester United on Saturday afternoon (9 May).
The game ended in a stalemate between the two sides, with United already having secured Champions League football last weekend. In the 87th minute, controversy ran wild as Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes was elbowed by Angulo. The Black Cats substitute avoided a red card after VAR intervention, and was not even cautioned.
The controversial decision sparks a debate around the current rulebook, referees and their definitions of force and intent.
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Mike Dean Defends VAR Decision
During a debate with Paul Merson and presenter Simon Thomas on Sky Sports, former PGMOL referee Mike Dean defended a controversial VAR decision following the match.
Merson argued: “Fernandes gets the ball, he’s got his head up and goes to play it. Angulo, who’s come on, is running back and as he’s running back he just gives him [Fernandes] a little elbow in the face. It’s not major contact, but he’s meant to do it. I think this could be a red card.”
Thereafter, Dean defended the decision, stating, “There’s not a lot of force in it, but I don’t understand why the player would run back and put his arm in and just put himself at risk. I’m not sure what’s happening – they’ve obviously had a look at it. They’re not doing anything, they’ve just had a chat with Fernandes and check complete. You run the risk with VAR; that could have gone either way.”
When Merson pointed out that Angulo did not even get a caution after the VAR review, Dean offered the bizarre justification. He said: “Well, it’s May, isn’t it?”
Thomas quickly countered by saying, “What? It might be May for you, but the referee still has a job to do, doesn’t he?”
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Definition of Force is Blurred
A few weeks ago, Lisandro Martinez was sent off for pulling the hair of Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Although Manchester United’s appeal was rejected, the FA disciplinary panel noted it accepted that other forms of violent conduct “carry a much higher risk of harm to an opponent.”
The decision riled even the usually composed Michael Carrick, who described it after the match as “one of the worst” decisions he had ever seen.
When compared to Angulo’s intent, the inconsistency is clear. The FA insisted that Martinez’s hair pull was not the most severe form of violent conduct. Yet, the Sunderland player escaped punishment for a blatant elbow to the face.
The definition of “force” has come under intense scrutiny this season, as the rules seem to be applied inconsistently. A blanket definition must be used in the rulebook. If the goal of Martinez’s dismissal was to deter hair pulling, then elbowing a fellow professional should be perceived as a much worse thing to stamp out of the game.
