Manchester United reportedly used Sky Sports' 'Ref Watch' programme to help get ' red card overturned.
Fernandes was show a straight red for serious foul play in United's last month following a challenge on . However, United appealed the decision and an independent commission overturned the sending off, meaning Fernandes escaped a three-match ban.
And it has now emerged that United included a clip from 'Ref Watch' as part of the evidence they submitted to the panel. According to the , United used the segment of the show where former referee Dermot Gallagher and ex-footballers Sue Smith and Dean Ashton discussed the Fernandes incident to support their claim the red card was 'unfair'.
"I don't think the referee can see it," Gallagher said of the incident. "He can't see the challenge happen. It's a glancing blow down the leg. He has an optical illusion; a more palatable decision would have been a yellow card."
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Smith added: "It's never a red card. He slips and touches him with his heel. There's no force in it and it's not endangering the opponent. It's definitely not a red card. Yellow card at most."
The report states that the pundits views were not considered by the commission when they made their decision to overturn the sending off. In their written reasons, the panel said it was an "obvious error" by referee Chris Kavanagh.
"The majority view was that there was obviously no malice, brutality or excessive force," they said. Fernandes had hit out at the decision in the aftermath of the defeat, claiming that even Maddison had told him it was "never a red card".
Fernandes said: "I don't take him as everyone wants to see it, going with the studs. I take him with my ankle. It's a clear foul, but never a red card, that's my feeling. Even Maddison when he gets up…he just said like: 'It is a foul but never a red card'.
"In the eyes of everyone, you can see this is never a red card. Because if this is a red card, we have to look at many other incidents. I've had many incidents when I get kicked and I've never seen something so quick coming up as a red card. I just think it's never a red card.
"It's a foul. Even the contact is not that strong. If [the referee] wants to give me a yellow because it's a counter-attack, I agree. And then I don't understand why the VAR didn't call the referee to the screen. For me, it's just not a really good decision."
and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our
