Was Fernandes' red card unlucky?

BBC Sport Chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on the weekend's football.

Oden asked: Hi Phil, All I hear/read everywhere is 'harsh sending off' of Bruno Fernandes because the studs didn't hit James Maddison. Well, Fernandes had such bad control of his body that he slipped and still makes the tackle knee high without any chance at all of reaching the ball. Sheer luck, I say, that Maddison’s knee was higher than knee-high so he got hit on the leg. Is it really good for football that we almost need a severe injury for a red card to be considered? Don’t like it myself.

Phil answered: Hello, Oden, I thought it was a red card but Fernandes was slightly unlucky in that he did slip as he went in to make the tackle. Not sure that was bad control of his body, simply a treacherous surface. It was desperation that forced him to raise his foot like that and I have no problem with the referee’s decision.

Happily no harm was done to James Maddison and Erik ten Hag’s claim that the red card "changed the game" was nonsensical. Spurs were running riot even before that incident.

Ricky asked: Hi Phil, sorry but to dismiss the idea that the red card had no impact is laughable. How many times do you see teams come out after a poor first half and turn a game around especially when they are only 1-0 down.

Also, the red card is arguably one of the worst sending offs in recent years, at worst a yellow, if that. That said, I have no words of defence for the overall United performance especially that first half. Ten Hag probably needs to go as I’m not sure the players want to play for him let alone the shirt and the fans.

Phil answered: Hi, Ricky. You are more than welcome to disagree and thank you for doing it in a constructive way. It’s what the Q&A is here for.

I took the strongest issue with Ten Hag’s suggestion it "changed the game". It made United’s task even harder but it did not "change the game". United were being outclassed well before Fernandes was sent off. In fact they were outclassed from the first whistle.

I actually agreed with the red card but certainly had sympathy for Fernandes, who acted in a bit of desperation having slipped, so he was a bit unlucky.

As for United, this was as bad as I’ve seen under Ten Hag. No discernible strategy or game plan and a complete lack of discipline.

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