Rashford's red card - correct decision or badly done by VAR again?

So, if that's a red, could there be a tactic to get players sent off by simply slipping you ankle under them when they're about to step on the ground?

Really? Just simply doing that?

Unfortunately it was a red. Absolutely no intent from Rashford but studs came down on the players angle and could have seriously injured him
 
I think it's hard to be sure these days. Just horrible to lose such important points because of it (again), all after being comfortable and 2-0 up...
 
If someone can show me a single example in the history of football where a similar red has been given pre-VAR I‘d be very surprised. This sport makes no sense anymore. None of the two penalties were penalties either
 
If someone can show me a single example in the history of football where a similar red has been given pre-VAR I‘d be very surprised. This sport makes no sense anymore. None of the two penalties were penalties either
It's Nani vs Real Madrid levels of fecked up bad
 
Saw a comment that is so striking on Reddit... The VAR screen review is meant to be the refs review of the situation right? The way they manipulate the ref by making the FIRST image the ref sees be the still image is beyond fecked up. You can show whatever you want based on that.

I really hope we appeal that, because it's a travesty of a decision. Even if they reject the appeal in the end. We have to be strong against shit like that.
 
Really? Just simply doing that?

Unfortunately it was a red. Absolutely no intent from Rashford but studs came down on the players angle and could have seriously injured him
Studs come down because the player sticks his leg under rashfords. So yes his example is exactly that. Stick your leg underneath where a player is about to step, take the stamp and call for a red. Wait for the still image to be the first thing they show to a ref at the screen.
 
Agree with this. 15 minutes would be a big chunk of the game but not kill it as a contest. I think you'd have to give "last man fouls" a penalty too, even if they were outside the box, like in hockey, where anytime a breakaway is stopped by a foul it's a penalty shot.
Football nowadays is too physical and tactical. One man down nowadays isn't what it was 20 years ago, and it shows.
 
What happened to VAR coming into play when the ref didn't see the incident? He was standing right in front of the play ffs, then decided to watch it in slow mo to decide it was 10x worse as well as intentional and malicious?
 
This is a red but the crackhead from PSV intentionally breaking Shaw's leg wasn't. Amazing.
 
Clear red card to me in the VAR era. In the days of just referee and two linesmen then probably get away with it.
 
The problem with VAR is that it is being used to look for violations as opposed to just spotting something that escaped attention and judging it on merit. There’s definitely a leaning in the nudge and wink given by VAR to look at the replay with a certain colour. “We think this might be XXX. What do you think?” Is almost the way it’s currently implemented which is destroying it.
 
Studs come down because the player sticks his leg under rashfords. So yes his example is exactly that. Stick your leg underneath where a player is about to step, take the stamp and call for a red. Wait for the still image to be the first thing they show to a ref at the screen.

I don't think that's a fair description of what happened. I've just watched it again several times on the Man United website. The opponent is going for the ball. He can't predict that Rashford would opt not to play the ball, nor protect the ball, but instead try to prevent the opponent from getting near it, while having his studs coming down from quite a height. It's just reckless play from Rashford, worthy of a red card.
 
I don't think that's a fair description of what happened. I've just watched it again several times on the Man United website. The opponent is going for the ball. He can't predict that Rashford would opt not to play the ball, nor protect the ball, but instead try to prevent the opponent from getting near it.
Yes it’s an unfortunate incident. Not one you brainlessly give out a red card.
 
My ABU friends are all in agreement that the Rashford red card was insane…and loved it!
 
It wasn’t a red but I am a firm believer that if our general play was more purposeful and we’re confident in our attacking approach/system, we’d not find ourselves shortchanged as often by referees.

I feel referees do sometimes unconsciously make decisions based on the broader media narrative surrounding a team’s performance. Teams like City get away with rash challenges because they simply have more presence, guile and authority on the pitch - kinda like how we were more than a decade ago.
 


I wish this one got similar amount of attention

"Clean strike. Couldn't have done it better. Got the ball and stopped opponent from playing. Perfect challenge. 10/10"
 
The problem with VAR is that it is being used to look for violations as opposed to just spotting something that escaped attention and judging it on merit. There’s definitely a leaning in the nudge and wink given by VAR to look at the replay with a certain colour. “We think this might be XXX. What do you think?” Is almost the way it’s currently implemented which is destroying it.

This is one of the most frustrating things to me. Anytime there's a goal, you have the VAR official and assistants looking for any excuse to rule the goal out, rather than correcting clear and obvious errors that impact play. If it takes them more than 30 seconds to determine if something is a violation, it's not clear and obvious. It shouldn't need slow motion, zoom, and 12 angles to determine if something is a clear and obvious error.

The red today was preposterous and another example of VAR officials seeking to insert themselves into the match. They send the official over to the monitor to review something that they've manipulated to ensure that he reaches their desired result. There's no point in having the referee review something if the VAR official has already made the decision. Referees no doubt feel they have to go with the VAR decision so it's not even them having another look. It's all kayfabe.
 
If it was against us I’d be wanting a red in the current climate
 
I don't think that's a fair description of what happened. I've just watched it again several times on the Man United website. The opponent is going for the ball. He can't predict that Rashford would opt not to play the ball, nor protect the ball, but instead try to prevent the opponent from getting near it, while having his studs coming down from quite a height. It's just reckless play from Rashford, worthy of a red card.
Quite a height... He's barely a foot off the ground with his foot.

Exactly. The opponent is going for the ball. He tackles from the side and reaches his leg underneath Rashford. If he doesn't try to make a tackle, Rashford stands on the ground normally. This was an incident that was created by the Copenhagen player, Rashford stepping on him was incidental contact as the player was reaching in. I just don't see how that can be a red.
 


I wish this one got similar amount of attention

"Clean strike. Couldn't have done it better. Got the ball and stopped opponent from playing. Perfect challenge. 10/10"

Yup. It's a clear 2nd yellow. More of a yellow than rashfords even, yet Rashford gets a red. Joke of a refereeing performance today.
Rashfords red. The 1st goal their player standing in front of onana. The pen. This non red card.

Yes, we should do better, but at a certain point you have to laugh and accept the refs fecked you at every turn. Today was one of those.

Edit: also the ball didn't go out of play for a corner before their 3rd.
 
Last edited:
In all my years following Utd I think this season has got to be the worst set of officiating I have ever witnessed. The whole Country got upset when we got a dodgy decision against Wolves at start of season. Talksport and Sky sports dedicated a whole week of shows discussing it. We are not just playing against the other team anymore. We are playing against bent officials or worse ......officials whose childhoods were ruined by Fergies Utd.
 
Maybe it’s ’technically right’ but I think it’s a shit decision, then again I also thought that about the Curtis Jones one which people seemed to agree with more.

I think that you have to take more consideration into intent and force in these type of situations.

Take the Tottenham game for example, you can clearly see Udogie and Romero going into their challenges intently reckless and excessively which should always be punished harshly. This was just a freak accident and I don’t even think it’s worthy of a yellow card.
 
Yup. It's a clear 2nd yellow. More of a yellow than rashfords even, yet Rashford gets a red. Joke of a refereeing performance today.
Rashfords red. The 1st goal their player standing in front of onana. The pen. This non red card.

Yes, we should do better, but at a certain point you have to laugh and accept the refs fecked you at every turn. Today was one of those.
Here is not just the issue with VAR or the VAR official. Unless it's red card worthy offense, VAR wouldn't be able to advise the main referee to review and take action.

So even if this is deemed as booking worthy, VAR can't inquire the main referee. Basically the rule of the game is a mess when VAR can nitpick at one thing but is prevented to intervene in another case where it's less severe but still game changing decision.
 
That is an absolutely atrocious decision. One of the worst I have seen.

A person who has played the game understands that Rashford was simply planting his foot to defend the ball

You see the Udogie one in the week. Wild tackle, two footed and out of control. Not given because Sterling moves. That's a dangerous tackle, those are the tackles we're trying to rid the game of.

Only a fat nerd in a TV studio who nobody let join in the kickabouts at school and who has never played the game thinks that the Rashford 'tackle' is a red.


Like Robbie Savage
 
This is a red but the crackhead from PSV intentionally breaking Shaw's leg wasn't. Amazing.

well correct, but you can´t not make this a red, because an old "thing" should have been one.

i still feel in this situation the way Rashford turns and plants his foot, is like running around swinging a sword, yelling, HEY if you run into it it is not my fault, because i am not looking at where i am swinging it.
he has responsibility for his movements, what actually annoyed me a bit is i rewatched the episode today, one is that it seems he on purpose looks away, and even when he KNOWS he have stepped on the leg of a player with his boots, he just keeps looking away, does not even in a second look back, He must have known this was a potential injury ...

and i think the statement of just planting a foot, is just far fetched, but yes players try to gain advantage all the time, diving, how many red cards has not been because of diving. 90% of what Garnacho and Bruno is doing is acting.

so clear red for me, the højlund albow could have been a second yellow, TIRED of Garnacho trying to destroy the Penalty spot again, and his diving actions. some people call it checky i call it cheating.
 
I was more upset by the fact we dropped our bundle.

As much as it pains me to say it, I wish we had a bit of a Liverpool mentality. They withstood Newcastle for 75% of the game with 10 men and then fecking won, and really they should have had a draw with Spurs with bloody 9!! Both of those games were away.

Just not enough fight in this team. We need some players with more fight in them.
 
Said it at the time, anyone who thinks that's a red card has either not played the game or hasn't played at a decent standard.

An absolute farce of a red card, neither reckless nor endangering an opponent.
 
It's never a red. The Copenhagen player catches a sore one but that happens in this game unfortunately it's as much his fault as it is Rashfords trying to nick a ball he can't win

The worst part is that the ref actually knows this too, he sees the incident and plays on because he knows it's nothing more than an unfortunate coming together. That he's then told the decision he made in real time and in full view of it is wrong is ridiculous and a complete re-refereeing of the game which is not what var is for

Both penalties were a complete nonsense too btw
 
The issues are in that situation should be 1 .. was it intended .. you can for yourself see its not that, the super slow motion makes it look way worse, in real time noone saw it , until it came up checking for red card.. so what does that say..

The player did nothing he got up carried on didn't come off probably a bit soar that's it.. VAR has taken away the Refeeres importance on the pitch... before long won't need one it will all be done by automation and a decision given 2 ,3 ,,4 minutes after the incident.. its Ruined the game not made it better.. VAR for offside that's it... otherwise refs calls only ...
 
I don't think that's a fair description of what happened. I've just watched it again several times on the Man United website. The opponent is going for the ball. He can't predict that Rashford would opt not to play the ball, nor protect the ball, but instead try to prevent the opponent from getting near it, while having his studs coming down from quite a height. It's just reckless play from Rashford, worthy of a red card.
This is my take too. Rashford puts his leg high and very forcefully nowhere near the ball, when he could have just kicked the ball away. He's clearly going for a very elaborate shield, but it's just not well done. The attacker is trying to get the ball, and could have had real damage done there.

It sucks, it's yet another headache for ETH but I'm far more upset that the first goal wasn't ruled out for they attacker standing directly in front of Onana. He's right there ffs!
 
For those saying “What if he snapped the guys ankle? It’s a red”. Pretty sure the guy who snapped Luke Shaw in half didn’t get a red