Liverpool should be fuming at Bruno Fernandes red card appeal and Gary Neville knows why

Manchester United has successfully managed to get Bruno Fernandes’ red card overturned following his dismissal against Tottenham – and Liverpool has every right to be asking why.

The Portugal international was shown a straight red card during the first half of his side’s 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday. His challenge on James Maddison was deemed by referee Chris Kavanagh to have been serious foul play, although replays showed Fernandes had slipped while committing the challenge.

Despite VAR upholding the on-field decision, United has now successfully appealed the decision with The FA, meaning Fernandes will avoid a three-match ban. Liverpool fans would be justified in raising an eyebrow at the judgment, though.

• Arne Slot offers Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa injury update as Liverpool team news confirmed
• Championship star facing lengthy ban after admitting to biting Liverpool youngster

Just 12 months ago, the Reds found themselves in a similar position with Curtis Jones. It may have been forgotten amid the controversy surrounding Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal, but Liverpool had its own contentious sending-off against Tottenham.

Jones was given his marching orders after VAR instructed referee Simon Hooper to take another look at the midfielder’s challenge on Yves Bissouma, which he had initially received a yellow card for. Despite replays showing Jones’ foot slipping over the ball as he looked to win it back, Hooper chose to upgrade his original decision, and brandish the red card, much to the bemusement of Gary Neville, who was commentating on the game for Sky Sports.

"A yellow is right, they are checking it. [VAR is] showing [referee Simon Hooper] the end motion, which looks bad," Neville said. "That's not how it's ended up there. His foot just slips off the top of the ball. Not for me a red card. He's probably going to get one and it's going to ruin the game, probably.

"You can slow it down all day long and it looks like a leg breaker but I think he's gone in genuinely and his foot's just slipped over the top of the ball. My initial reaction as an ex-player was that wasn't a player looking to do the opposition player."

Nevertheless, Jones was made to leave the pitch, and just to rub salt into the wounds for Liverpool, they were unsuccessful in their appeal against the decision. Having seen Fernandes’ sending-off now being overturned, the Reds will be left scratching their heads.

Liverpool.com says: In both cases, the outcome was worsened by the player slipping, yet there is a real case to be made for Fernandes showing more intent to make a dangerous tackle than Jones did. After all, the Manchester United captain had time to pull out of the challenge when he slipped, but still chose to lunge in on Maddison with his studs showing.

On the other hand, there was nothing Jones could do as his foot slipped over the ball and into Bissouma’s standing leg, yet it’s Fernandes who gets his red card overturned while the Liverpool midfielder had to sit out three games. Make it make sense.