Ten Hag talks, disciplinary issue - Man Utd's Bruno Fernandes punishment decided after red cards

Bruno Fernandes lasted 241 Manchester United matches without a red card but has since been dismissed in each of his last two outings.

The first came straight from the referee’s top pocket in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham when he was given his marching orders for a high challenge on James Maddison. The sending-off was rescinded upon appeal, though, meaning he will not miss Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa.

However, he will now miss the match in Turkey for United’s Europa League clash with Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce after the international break. That is because he was shown a second yellow card for a high boot in the second half of Thursday’s 3-3 draw with Porto.

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United typically suffer without Fernandes in the side, with the captain often the team’s creative spark in the final third. In light of this and his recent dismissals, should Fernandes be told to rein in his challenges and become more street-wise? Do his latest indiscretions require punishment?

Or are his consecutive dismissals simply luckless? MEN writers offer their thoughts.

I think Fernandes has a right to be frustrated at both dismissals, having fallen foul to 'the letter of the law' amid absence of common sense. Sunday’s red card was particularly unfortunate.

Fernandes simply slipped and his leg trajectory and distance from Maddison meant his boot naturally connected with his knee area when trying to stop the attack - but there was no malice or force behind it. Even Maddison himself seemed surprised by the severity of the straight red.

The dismissal in Porto