Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer both made their feelings clear on a “very harsh” moment for one Manchester United star in the Chelsea match at Old Trafford.
Manchester United climbed to 11th place in the Premier League table and Ruben Amorim eased some of the pressure on his shoulders after Saturday’s contest.
The Red Devils were in Premier League action at Old Trafford and the club did impress with their first-half showing under Ruben Amorim against Chelsea.
United had a 2-0 lead over Chelsea going into half-time at Old Trafford, but the first half saw both the Red Devils and the Blues being reduced to 10 men each.
Robert Sanchez was sent off in the first five minutes of Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to United, while Casemiro was controversially sent off deep into first-half injury time.
Gary Lineker tells Alan Shearer his position on Casemiro’s red card in Man Utd’s 2-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford
Bruno Fernandes broke the deadlock against 10-man Chelsea in the first half before Casemiro put Manchester United 2-0 up in the first half on Saturday evening.
Casemiro had picked up an early booking at Old Trafford after he caught Enzo Fernandez on the back of the leg with a late sliding tackle in the 17th minute.
Fast-forward to stoppage time in the first half and Casemiro had his hands on Andrey Santos’ shoulders before he dragged the Chelsea star down in the challenge.
Premier League referee Peter Bankes made the call to brandish a second yellow card and the 33-year-old United midfielder was sent off before the half-time whistle.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Gary Lineker felt that Peter Bankes made a “very harsh” decision to book Casemiro for the second time in the Chelsea match.
“I was watching the game and I said 2-0 up Man United; I said the only way they can mess this up is if someone gets sent off,” he told Alan Shearer.
“I thought it was very harsh [Casemiro’s sending off]. But at the same time, Alan, you know if you’ve had a yellow card and in the current climate where they give yellow cards for breathing heavily, you’ve got to be careful, so he’s an experienced fella.
“He’s been around for a long time and you think to yourself, just be cautious, but I do think he actually, I mean, it was just that he had his arm on him, but I don’t think it was a yellow.
“And I thought Alan Smith in commentary was quite right; I think if you’re going to send someone off as a second yellow card, it needs to be pretty sure as a yellow. I think personally.”
Alan Shearer reacts to Gary Lineker’s assessment of Man Utd midfielder Casemiro being sent off against Chelsea
Trevoh Chalobah provided United with a late scare and a nervous end to the match after the Chelsea star beat Altay Bayindir from close range with a powerful header.
Despite Trevoh Chalobah pulling one back for the Blues, Chelsea were unable to find the all-important equaliser against United before the full-time whistle at Old Trafford.
Responding to Lineker’s stance on Casemiro’s red card for United, Shearer added: “Yeah, didn’t surprise me when he did, but you’re right.
“You can’t give the referee the opportunity to even it up. But I did think it was a tad harsh and then, but then I’m thinking, ‘Here we go. If they get an early goal.’”
United have won two of their opening five Premier League matches in the 2025-26 campaign and the Red Devils will now travel away to face Brentford on Saturday.
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