Former referee Dermot Gallagher has given his verdict on Casemiro‘s red card for Manchester United against Southampton.
VAR intervened to upgrade the initial yellow card awarded, to give Casemiro a red card.
Casemiro now faces a four-game suspension as this was his second red card of the season.
Manchester United went on to draw the game 0-0, with Casemiro sent off in the 35th minute.
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Verdict on Casemiro red
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher told Sky Sports News Ref Watch (13/3 11.30am) that he supported the red card for Casemiro.
Asked whether the decision to send Casemiro off was correct, Gallagher agreed.
He said: “I think definitely. He lunges in, skims the top of the ball and catches his opponent hard on his shin.
“I think he’s lost control of his body. He’s reaching for the ball, he’s mistimed it. The result is a bad tackle.”
Gallagher said there was no argument to say Casemiro won the ball.
“I don’t think he did win the ball. He got a touch on the top of the ball.”
Gallagher on penalty calls
Gallagher was also asked about a penalty appeal for Bruno Fernandes and a handball appeal on Armel Bella-Kotchap.
He said the Fernandes appeal was not a penalty and the decision to award a corner was the right call, and he also did not agree on the handball.
Gallagher said: “One of the strangest incidents I’ve seen. It strikes his chest first of all.”
He added that he felt Bella-Kotchap tried to move his arm away from the ball rather than towards it, commenting: “I just can’t see a penalty being given.”
He was not quizzed about a potential appeal for a penalty when Marcus Rashford went down in the box.
Gallagher’s comments highlight how United have an uphill task to win an appeal against Casemiro’s red card if one is lodged. Sunday just wasn’t United’s day.