Man Utd 0 Southampton 0: Casemiro sent off for horror tackle as Red Devils drop points against bottom of the league
CASEMIRO saw red for the second time in eight games as ten man Manchester United could only draw against Southampton.
The Brazilian turned sinner against The Saints with a 32nd minute challenge on Carlos Alcaraz that saw him sent-off after referee Anthony Taylor reviewed the incident on the pitch-side screen.
He will now miss four games with it being his second sending off of the season which is a major blow to the Red Devils.
Despite being a man down for over an hour of play, including injury time, United still could have snatched this, as could the visitors.
While it was a goalless draw it was a game full of action with the woodwork hit at either end, some fantastic goalkeeping and penalty appeals aplenty.
Marcus Rashford had two early chances to break the deadlock.
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After exchanging passes with Bruno Fernandes he was through on an angle but his shot to the far corner was saved.
Wout Weghorst was furious that his team-mate hadn’t squared to him, he probably thought he would miss anyway.
From the very next attack Rashford had another chance when put through by Fernandes again, but his first touch was heavy allowing goalkeeper Gavin Bazuna to win the race to the ball.
Southampton’s recent revival that had brought two wins from new boss Ruben Selles' three league games in charge had prompted Ten Hag to warn that this would be no easy game.
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So it would prove and it was only the brilliance of David de Gea that denied them the lead in the 24th minute.
Romain Perraud was looking dangerous down the left and his cross into the centre of the box was met by Theo Walcott with a bullet header that De Gea did brilliantly to tip over the bar.
Weghorst had a free header but perhaps not surprisingly steered it straight into the goalkeeper’s arms
Then came the sending off as Casemiro slid in on Alcaraz.
Referee Taylor initially showed a yellow card but the VAR told him to have another look on the pitch side monitor.
The slow motion showed that Casemiro touched the ball first.
He clipped the top of it but his foot continued on into the shin of Alcaraz.
Taylor needed a few looks to make his mind up so it could have gone either way, but rarely do refs defy the VAR and he rescinded the yellow and showed red.
It almost proved more costly when from the resulting free kick James Ward-Prowse’s effort deflected of Rashford’s head in the wall and fell just wide of the far post.
Weghorst would be the player sacrificed as Ten Hag reshuffled bringing on another midfielder to take Casemiro’s place in Scott McTominay.
There were two penalty claims from United in quick succession before the break.
The first was for a challenge by Kyle Walker-Peters on Fernandes but the Southampton player won the ball.
Then when there were cries of handball the replay showed that Rashford’s cross had actually hit Armel Bella-Kotchap in the chest.
Not surprisingly referee Taylor got a rough time from the crowd as he walked off at the break and on his return to get the second-half underway.
Tern Hag reappeared and urged the Stretford End to up the volume but it was nearly Saints fans celebrating just three minutes later.
Kyle Walker-Peters ball into the box was deflected past his own goalkeeper by McTominay but Wan-Bissaka came to the rescue hooking the ball of the line.
Ward-Prowse than shaved the crossbar with a free-kick and Walcott was denied one-on-one by another flying save from De Gea.
It was all action with the post then rattled at either end.
Fernandes' low shot from outside the area looked to be heading in but Bazunu got a fingertip to it deflecting on to the woodwork.
Then Walker-Peters' thunderbolt beat De Gea but crashed off the far post.
There was another penalty appeal when Rashford went through and caught the sliding Bazunu with his trailing leg as the ball was running out of play.
Not enough for ref Taylor to award a kick.
Despite being down to ten, Ten Hag was going for this bringing Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri onto either wing to add some pace in attack.
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Their arrival seemed to reenergise Old Trafford too.
But hopes of one of those last gasp victories for United at Old Trafford would be dashed.
