Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool’s manager, expressed his frustration, suggesting that the referee aided Manchester United in their victory. Klopp believed that Manchester United’s player, Bruno Fernandes, should have received a straight red card and a foul for his challenge, expressing his disappointment with the match’s officiating.

Lee Dixon has explained his perspective on why he believes Bruno Fernandes avoided receiving a second yellow card during the Liverpool versus Manchester United clash.

The match, which took place at Old Trafford during the quarter-final of the FA Cup, presented an opportunity for both teams to secure a spot in the semi-final, with Manchester City, Coventry, and Chelsea already through.

Despite falling behind early in the game, with Scott McTominay scoring for United, Jurgen Klopp’s side quickly responded with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah just before halftime.Fernandes, the midfielder, received a booking after Salah’s goal, and shortly after, he was involved in a tackle on Dominik Szoboszlai at the beginning of the second half. Despite committing a foul, Fernandes was not shown a second yellow card.

VAR did not intervene to suggest referee John Brooks reconsider his decision and issue Fernandes a red card. Dixon, providing co-commentary for the game, described Fernandes as “fortunate” to avoid being sent off.

Observing the situation, Dixon noted the absence of Liverpool players surrounding the referee, emphasizing that Fernandes’s actions, while risking a foul, were common occurrences throughout the pitch.

He highlighted that such incidents are typically scrutinized by VAR, indicating Fernandes’s luck in avoiding a second yellow card.

Dixon expressed his belief that had the incident occurred elsewhere on the field and Fernandes not already been booked, he would have received a yellow card without hesitation.

He further emphasized this point by stating that if a similar situation had unfolded on the halfway line, the referee would have issued a yellow card.Lee Dixon’s analysis sheds light on the nuanced dynamics of refereeing decisions in high-stakes matches like the FA Cup quarter-final between Liverpool and Manchester United. Despite Fernandes’s involvement in a potentially card-worthy tackle, Dixon suggests that contextual factors, such as the absence of player protests and the commonality of such fouls, may have influenced the referee’s leniency. Dixon’s perspective underscores the subjective nature of refereeing and the role of VAR in ensuring fair play and consistency across different situations on the pitch.