Fuming Manchester United fans make Casemiro point as Chelsea ace avoids ban

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It’s become a popular trope amongst Manchester United fans on social media.

See a player escape punishment for a reckless tackle, usually over the ball with studs showing, and respond with something along the lines of ‘Casemiro would have got lifetime in prison for that!’. For the most part, it’s all fun and games, albeit with a kernel of frustration.

But mock incredulousness is one thing, when it comes to Nicolas Jackson somehow evading a ban for throttling Nathan Patterson following Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Everton, the decision to hand Casemiro a three-match suspension for the heinous crime of gripping Will Hughes’ collar in a game against Crystal Palace back in February feels even more ludicrous.

Casemiro was sent off against Crystal Palace

In the defence of Andre Mariner – the referee for that 2-1 win over The Eagles – the blame lay more with those in the VAR booth. Amid all the angles which showed Casemiro clearly grabbing Hughes shirt rather than his neck, guess which one Mariner was shown.

To see Jackson avoid punishment for a far worse offence then – there was no doubt that the Chelsea striker had quite a firm grip around Patterson’s trachia – will do little to ease the frustrations of a Manchester United fanbase who are already sick to the proverbial back teeth with the state of officiating at present, baffling decisions costing Erik ten Hag’s side against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and Copenhagen this season alone.

“Jackson gets away with this, while Casemiro was suspended for three games just for holding somebody’s shirt,” was the baffled reaction of one X/Twitter user.

“Spot the difference,” said another.

Nicolas Jackson avoids Chelsea ban

One United fan, meanwhile, was keen to highlight the impact Casemiro’s suspension had on his Red Devils career as a whole. The former Real Madrid enforcer has not been quite the same force of nature since that incident – or that similarly-harsh sending off against Southampton a few weeks later – the natural aggression which made him arguably the greatest defensive midfielder of modern times curbed by the galling overzealousness of our card-happy refs.

“The red card and three game ban for Casemiro changed his game for Manchester United,” the user wrote. “A very unfair sending off. Jackson for Chelsea, on the other hand, gets away with what is an clear hands around the neck grip.

“Casemiro only had his hands on the shirt.”