Manchester United’s troubles got a whole lot worse when captain Bruno Fernandes got sent off in their 0-3 loss vs Tottenham.
The team was struggling even before his dismissal, and the second-half performance was quite an improvement too.
However, in the long run, it is clear that the team suffers from more than just his absence of quality on the pitch.
Bruno Fernandes is the beating heart of the team and the Man United squad looks a lot less than the sum of its parts if he’s not on the pitch.
That was the scenario facing Manchester United for the next three games after he was shown a straight red card which the player disputed strongly against afterward.
Bruno Fernandes decision by Premier League
Manchester United, clearly miffed by the decision, chose to appeal to the league for wrongful dismissal, hoping to get the ban overturned.
Generally, these kind of appeals are extremely rarely successful as the on-field decision is given priority more often than not.
It is why VAR didn’t overturn the decision during the game but the tide could be seen turning recently, especially when Dermot Gallagher said the red card was not the right decision, in a departure from usual.
Now, Manchester United have confirmed that Fernandes’ red card has been rescinded and he will be available to play the next three league games.
It will come as a huge relief to Erik ten Hag in a week that has just been an avalanche of speculation over his job.
He could have used any good news coming his way and sometimes a single small spark can light up the fire of siege mentality.
Fernandes’ redemption
From the player’s POV, it is a chance at redemption as he was struggling immensely before the red card effectively became an act of mercy.
The Portuguese has nowhere been near his best all season so the red card and the tackle which prompted it was a buildup of the frustration.
Now, with the ban rescinded, it should allow him to take a step back and assess the situation and his season holistically.
His passes have been astray, he has taken ill-advised shots, and the attempts that were deemed audacious when they came off have been increasingly frustrating.
The fans had grown restless especially during the Spurs game, not with Fernandes in particular, but with the team’s inability to keep the ball for a sustained period, awry passes were getting on their nerves.
Of course, everyone knows Fernandes’ ability by now to not worry about the long-term effects of this run but it was still dragging on.
This successful appeal gives him the chance to reset his mind and focus on a daunting fixture list ahead. The team needs him at his best.
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