Fulham manager Marco Silva did not have a good word for referee Chris Kavanagh and his VAR colleagues after the tumultuous defeat in the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
Expelled Fulham manager feels robbed after a duel with Ten Hag
Fulham hoped to upset manager Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United and were well on their way to the semi-finals at Wembley. Aleksandar Mitrovic gave the visitors the lead in the second half, but a penalty for United and two red cards for Fulham helped the home side back into the game.
Pressure on VAR
Midfielder Willian was sent off for a handball on the goal line and Mitrovic attacked Kavanagh after Kavanagh’s decision to put the ball on the spot. Silva was already sent off for comments to the arbitration. The Portuguese thought that Kavanagh had already disadvantaged Fulham, with Kenny Tete in the base, at Old Trafford before the break.
“Until the penalty and red cards, we were clearly the best team on the pitch,” Silva told the BBC. “The players stuck to the game plan. It is a pity that the referee was not called aside by the VAR before half-time. It is not easy for Fulham to play at Old Trafford, the VAR also feels extra pressure. I just don’t understand why they didn’t look at our previous penalty moments.”
Call for mega suspension crazy Mitrovic: “At least ten games”
Aleksandar Mitrovic has become an outright phenomenon at Fulham. In the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United, however, the Serbian goalgetter went completely crazy. English analysts are calling for a mega suspension.
“This was so unnecessary,” said former Chelsea player Andy Towsend at TalkSPORT. “Mitrovic attacked the referee after teammate Willian received a red card after a handball. Manchester United also received a penalty. Reason for the top scorer to go completely crazy.”
“At first he put his hand on the umpire’s shoulder, but then he stood in front of his face…” Towsend can’t understand it. “That’s so intimidating. Head to head. When two people stand like this, anything can happen. You can’t make this right with a fine and suspension of three games.”
Townsend is calling for a long suspension for the man who has already scored eleven times in the Premier League. “You have to give a signal. At least six games. Maybe double. This is not possible. We want emotion in football, tackles, riots, maybe even quarreling opponents. That’s part of it. But there’s one thing we can’t have: umpires who are unsafe. A line has to be drawn there. And this was a big step over it,” said the former Crystal palace man.
