Bruno Fernandes’ tantrum explained as missing out on possible red card in Man United’s win over Chelsea

Manchester United’s victory over Chelsea on Saturday night brought them closer to the Champions League, but an incident late in the match left Bruno Fernandes dissatisfied.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes expressed his anger at a potentially missed red card during Saturday’s 1-0 win at Chelsea. Michael Carrick’s team made significant progress towards qualifying for the Champions League after Matheus Cunha’s first-half goal secured all three points at Stamford Bridge.

The Reds are now 10 points behind sixth-placed Chelsea, who sit just one place off the final qualification spot for Europe’s elite competition. It means Carrick’s side needs a maximum of six more points from their remaining five games to qualify for the Champions League – a competition they have been absent from since 2023.

But Fernandes was not happy with the referee Michael Oliver during United’s win in west London. The Portuguese midfielder showed his displeasure when Blues player Romeo Lavia appeared to step on him when he was fouled.

If Oliver had believed that Lavia had stamped on Fernandes, he would almost certainly have shown the Chelsea midfielder a red card for violent conduct. No card is shown instead.

However, the incident is unlikely to dampen United’s mood. Since interim head coach Carrick replaced Ruben Amorum in January, the Reds have undergone a transformation.

Carrick’s men have lost just twice in the league all year and look almost certain to secure a place in the Champions League after the season outside Europe. Fernandes isn’t getting carried away, though.

Bruno Fernandes is the most important player of Manchester United. (Photo: Mark Cosgrove/News Images/Noor Photo via Getty Images)

Speaking to TNT Sports after Saturday’s win, he said, “It’s an amazing feeling for us; we’ve got to bounce back. It’s not just about Leeds; we had two games we didn’t win.”

“We knew we had to put in a great performance because Chelsea are a good team. It’s important for us because our goal is to be in the top four, to make the distance best for us.

“I feel close to three points [to Champions League qualification] We have one more game to win. We know we need the points to secure this place and we will do everything we can to get there as soon as possible.”

Fernandes is also now just two assists away from the Premier League assist record. The 31-year-old is five games away from equalling the 20-assist mark set by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

He added, “I say every time I want to do better than last season. I want to improve my game overall.

“I need to improve every week because I want to be a better player and finish my career in the best possible way.”