Erik ten Hag Slams VAR Over Casemiro Red Card, Says Ayew Should Have Been Sent Off

Erik ten Hag has blasted the officiating and the use of VAR over Casemiro’s sending-off against Crystal Palace and feels Jordan Ayew also should have seen red.

Goals from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford had given the Red Devils a two-goal lead at Old Trafford on Saturday, but a melee in the 70th minute – prompted by a late tackle from Jeffrey Schlupp on Antony – resulted in Casemiro being sent off.

The Brazilian grabbed Will Hughes around the throat during the mass scramble and VAR sent referee Andre Marriner to the monitor, who produced a red card, though Ayew struck Fred in similar fashion but that altercation was not looked at.

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Palace pulled a goal back through Schlupp but 10-man United held on to win 2-1, with Ten Hag livid with the application of VAR in the match despite conceding that Casemiro had crossed a line.

Asked about the red card, the Dutch coach said afterwards: ‘You see this team stands for each other, there’s such a good spirit in the team and they don’t accept when a player from us can be badly injured and that is the way Antony got treated.

‘This team sticks together, but of course you have to control your emotions. But it’s really difficult in such moments.

‘And then I see two teams fighting each other. I see two teams who have several players crossing the line. And then one player is picked out and gets sent off and for me that’s not right.’

He continued: ‘The player from Crystal Palace takes a big risk by this foul, that he could get badly injured by pushing him across the line and you know the pitches here [are close to the stands].

‘And then everyone is reacting – Crystal Palace players and Man United players. And not only Casemiro.’

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Asked specifically about whether Ayew, who also appeared to have his hands around Fred’s throat, could have seen red, Ten Hag smiled and replied: ‘You bring it up, but that was one of the players who did even worse, I would say, than Casemiro!

‘Casemiro, you freeze the moment, I think really short, he’s crossing the line there. But yeah, Ayew definitely [was red too]. And you have to be consistent as a VAR.

‘Last week we missed Christian Eriksen from a bad foul, but no intervention from VAR. In Crystal Palace, [Jean-Philippe] Mateta was elbowing Lisandro Martinez. He’s running for two weeks with such a lump on his eyebrow, and no interfering [from VAR]. And this is not right. And this influences the game, but also coming games.’

Asked if United would appeal the red card, Ten Hag suggested they would not: ‘We have to think about it, but also, to be fair, when you freeze it [the image] Casemiro is crossing the line. But, as I say, many more players were crossing the line there.’