Keith Hackett explains why Bruno Fernandes avoided red card in Man United win vs Liverpool: 'It's borderline'
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Credit: Imago Mon 4 May 2026 18:00, UK Keith Hackett has insisted that Bruno Fernandes was rightly only given a yellow card for a late tackle on Dominik Szoboszlai during Manchester United’s win over Liverpool.Fernandes lunged in on his opposite number in the 81st minute of United’s 3-2 win against their arch rivals which saw them qualify for the Champions League.Darren England booked the Red Devils’ captain after the challenge, but many Liverpool fans rushed to social media to insist that it was worthy of a red. Liverpool boss Arne Slot complained about England’s performance after the match in comments which could see him in hot water with the FA.All eyes will now be on Liverpool’s next match against Chelsea as they also aim to qualify for the Champions League at the end of a disappointing campaign. ⚽ Liverpool Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews, VAR verdicts, and tactical analysis for every Reds fixture.
VISIT THE LIVERPOOL MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Keith Hackett explains reasoning behind Bruno Fernandes avoiding a red cardHackett accused Szoboszlai of cheating against Galatasaray last month while speaking exclusively to Football Insider, but the Reds star was certainly caught late by Fernandes in a tackle that warranted an excessive reaction.Despite Fernandes’ reckless nature, the former PGMOL chief has insisted that he did not deserve a red card because of how he approached the tackle and the nature of his challenge.DateResult3 April 2026Man United 3-2 Liverpool19 October 2025Liverpool 1-2 Man United5 January 2025Liverpool 2-2 Man United1 September 2024Man United 0-3 Liverpool7 April 2024Man United 2-2 LiverpoolLiverpool vs Man United – last five competitive meetingsSpeaking exclusively to Football Insider, he said: “I think it was borderline red. I think in a game of that nature, and all games should be the same, I think (a red card) would have been too harsh for this.“For me, this is reckless, and it’s borderline whether it’s serious foul play.
“I think that’s because of perhaps a lack of intensity, real intensity, and Fernandes has got a bent leg rather than a straight leg. It’s not serious foul play because I don’t think there’s malice in that challenge.”Opta reveal Liverpool’s updated chances of Champions League qualificationLiverpool had won their previous three league outings before travelling to Old Trafford to move into a strong position regarding UCL qualification.They will be annoyed that rivals United have clinched a place in the competition before them, but Opta‘s supercomputer is still giving the Reds a 97.15 per cent chance of doing so this season.Slot’s side are being backed to finish on 62 points, with Aston Villa alongside them in fifth, while Bournemouth are their closest competitors with a 3.17 per cent chance of making the UCL. 🔴 Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Liverpool Insider Access Get the full story from Anfield and the AXA Training Centre with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Merseyside.