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Manchester United midfielder Casemiro's sending off against Southampton on Sunday (March 12) has caused mass controversy. The Brazilian was handed his second straight red card of the season following a challenge on Saints forward Carlos Alcarez.
The incident occurred in the 32nd minute when Casemiro tried tackling the Argentine attacker. However, his studs slipped over the ball and into Alcarez, leaving the latter in a heap on the Old Trafford turf.
Referee Anthony Taylor initially gave the Brazilian a yellow card. However, VAR intervened and advised the official to have a look at the challenge on the pitchside monitor. Taylor then returned to overturn his decision and sent Casemiro off.
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The midfielder was dejected as he left the field of play. His compatriot Antony tried consoling him while Alcarez showed compassion for the former Real Madrid man. Casemiro was never sent off in his career before joining Manchester United. He will now serve a four-match ban due to this being his second straight red card.
One fan deemed Taylor's decision a disgrace, tweeting:
"Football is done. A non contact sport."
Here's how the rest of Twitter reacted to Casemiro's sending off:
What games will Manchester United midfielder Casemiro miss?
Casemiro's four-game suspension will see him miss four of Manchester United's upcoming fixtures. The first of those will be the FA Cup quarterfinal clash with Fulham at Old Trafford next Sunday (March 19), as Premier League suspensions carry over to domestic cup competitions.
He will also miss the Red Devils' trip to St James' Park to face Newcastle United on April 2. Erik ten Hag's side beat the Magpies 2-0 at the Wembley to win the Carabao Cup, where Casemiro scored the opener.
Casemiro will play no part in the visit of Brentford at Old Trafford on April 5 as well. He joined Manchester United just days after the side were thrashed 4-0 in the reverse fixture at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The final game the Brazilian will serve his suspension for will be a league clash with Everton on April 8. Ten Hag's men are in a key stage of the season, so Casemiro's absence will be a massive blow.
It remains to be seen if United will look to appeal the red card decision. A lack of consistency regarding officiating in the Premier League is becoming alarming. Two fouls were similar to Casemiro's in Chelsea's 3-1 win over Leicester City on Saturday (March 11). None of them were given as red cards, though.
