Why Man Utd’s Diogo Dalot wasn’t sent off for horror tackle vs City | Football | Sport

The Premier League have explained why Diogo Dalot was not shown a red card for his foul on Jeremy Doku in the first half of the Manchester derby, despite City being adamant that he should have been sent off for the incident. Dalot appeared to have caught Doku high up on his leg, but referee Anthony Taylor only issued a booking.

Doku had been advancing in a promising position and jinked the ball past Dalot, only to be brought down when the Portuguese defender went to ground. Doku grimaced in pain and immediately signalled to the City medical staff that he needed attention, while the official mulled over his decision.

But Taylor felt that only a yellow card was necessary and his verdict was backed up by VAR, which did check the incident.

The Premier League Match Centre explained: “The referee’s call of yellow card to Dalot for a reckless challenge was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact deemed to be glancing and not with excessive force.”

Interim Manchester United boss Michael Carrick was questioning the decision to award a free-kick at all, but replays showed that Dalot caught Doku late and high.

“Not good,” Gary Neville said on commentary duty for Sky Sports. “It is knee high. The ball is there and Jeremy Doku shifts it. Diogo Dalot is very late. He is clearly looking for the ball, but Doku is too quick for him.”

Moments later, a second United full-back was in the book after Luke Shaw went in late on Rodri after the hosts thought that they should have been given a promising free-kick.

Patrick Dorgu won the ball back off Abdukodir Khusanov on the edge of City’s box and then fell to the floor, but referee Taylor did not think that there was enough contact to constitute a foul.

With tempers running high, Shaw dove into a challenge but Rodri had already moved the ball on, catching the midfielder late and he was duly booked, despite Bruno Fernandes‘ furious protest.

United thought that they had taken the lead when Amad rolled the ball into the back of the net, having gone around Gianluigi Donnarumma in one of several through balls that caused problems, but he was ruled offside.

Captain Fernandes also had a goal chalked off for a tight offside before half-time.