The Premier League Match Centre have issued a statement on the controversy surrounding the Manchester United penalty scored by Bruno Fernandes and the red card shown to Maxence Lacroix in the same incident. The Crystal Palace defender brought down United’s Matheus Cunha and conceded a penalty with the contact starting outside of the area but continuing into it. Lacroix put his arm on Cunha’s shoulder before the Brazilian fell somewhat theatrically.
After a VAR check, the defender was also shown red by referee Chris Kavanagh to reduce the Eagles – who had led 1-0 until Fernandes scored from the spot – to 10 men. It was decided that Lacroix had denied Cunha a clear goalscoring opportunity given the attacker was running on to a loose ball inside the box. Because it was deemed a pull, Lacroix could not be saved by the ‘double jeopardy’ rule despite a penalty also being awarded.
The Match Centre statement read: « #MUNCRY – 52′ VAR OVERTURN After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of no red card to Lacroix. Referee announcement: ‘After review, Crystal Palace number 5 commits a clear holding offence which denies a clear, obvious, goalscoring opportunity. Final decision is penalty and red card.' »
Palace took the lead through Lacroix just four minutes in, when the Frenchman headed in the opener from Brennan Johnson’s corner. The visitors frustrated the home team in the first half until Lacroix gifted United a route back into it early into the second half.
United equalised via Fernandes’ penalty in the 57th minute as the Portuguese sent his former team-mate Dean Henderson the wrong way from 12 yards. And the hosts then took the lead eight minutes later through Benjamin Sesko’s header from a Fernandes cross. Sesko now has seven goals in his last eight appearances and has scored in three in a row under Michael Carrick.
The Red Devils remain unbeaten with Carrick in charge after they went on to clinch their sixth win in seven matches under the interim boss. Victory means United rise to third in the Premier League table, joining Aston Villa on 51 points but overtaking the Villans courtesy of a superior goal difference.
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