Bruno Fernandes faces Man Utd suspension after ‘ridiculous’ decision

Manchester United’s stand-in captain Bruno Fernandes faces a one-match suspension after being shown a controversial yellow card during Sevilla’s visit to Old Trafford on Thursday. The Portuguese, who was furious with the referee’s decision, is set to sit out the return fixture in Spain next week.

Fernandes knew that he had to tread a fine line in the first leg of United’s Europa League quarter-final, with one more booking set to put him out of the next game. He was therefore livid when referee Felix Zwayer showed him yellow for a close-range handball just before the break.

There appeared to be little that Fernandes could do to avoid Nemanja Gudelj’s powerful effort, which struck the top of his arm as he slid in to block. But the punishment is set to stand regardless, and former United academy product Robbie Savage slammed the call while on commentary duties with BT Sport.

Fans also laid into the match official for his first-half display, with @PaoloWalnuts writing on Twitter: “That is a ridiculous yellow card for Fernandes. Ref had a mare there.”

On a similar theme, @FlixandTrix added: “That’s a ridiculous card on Fernandes. Costly too. No wonder he’s furious. Poor refereeing yet again.” Meanwhile, @OwenUnitedView ranted: “That has to be the most ridiculous yellow card I have ever seen.

“How ON EARTH has Bruno Fernandes been yellow carded for that as a handball? NONSENSE.” Thankfully for the United midfielder, his absence may not be too harshly felt in the second leg as the hosts promptly raced into a two-goal lead at Old Trafford.

United legend Paul Scholes talked up the idea of Sabitzer signing on a permanent basis before the game, comparing him to Darren Fletcher and John O’Shea. “He would be one who comes into those bigger games,” he told BT Sport.

“We had people like Darren Fletcher and John O’Shea who went into midfield – proper athletes, absolutely brilliant coming into those games, getting against people. You’d worry about [Christian] Eriksen and Fernandes in those situations but someone like Sabitzer you can rely on.”