Bruno Fernandes reveals what James Maddison told him after red card

Bruno Fernandes has revealed that James Maddison told him he did not deserve the red card he received in his side's humiliating 3-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.

The Manchester United captain was sent off for a tackle which scraped the shin of the Spurs midfielder just before half-time. 

With the away side already on top at 1-0, Fernandes' first red card for the club all but settled the result on Sunday afternoon with Ange Postecoglou's outfit later adding two second-half goals.

Finishes from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke built on Brennan Johnson's third-minute opener and gave Tottenham their fourth consecutive win in all competitions.

In what proved the key incident of the encounter, Fernandes fouled Maddison and could be seen chatting with his opponent shortly after. Following the match, the United man revealed what was discussed.

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He said: 'I just wanted to come and talk and be myself because my team-mates deserve that for what they have done in the game playing with one man less – particularly as I was the man sent off, the one that let them down.

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'I think we struggled a bit and then the red card makes it worse. I have to appreciate all the effort my team-mates have done to try and return to the game, but it wasn't possible. The team showed a lot of character, a lot of resilience, a lot of fight. They tried. It wasn't easy.

'No one likes to be sent off. It's not a good feeling. We end up conceding another two goals.

'I don't go in with the studs, it's a clear foul but never a red card. Maddison said it is a foul but it's not a red card. If this is a red card we have to look at other incidents. I think it's never a red card. It's a foul if he wants to give a yellow. I don't understand why VAR doesn't call the referee to the screen.

'We find a lot of spaces but we could never connect. It wasn't always like one touch more. We gave the ball away too many times for them to counter.'

Fernandes argued that referee Chris Kavanagh was wrong to show him a straight red card, adding: 'It was never a red card, that is my view. The referee tried to tell me that as he saw it was a clear contact with the studs. No. I didn't touch him with the studs or even the foot, it was my ankle. It is a clear foul.

'If he wants to give me a yellow because they are going to go on a counter then I agree. But more than that, no. It is not the case.'

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was delighted with a fourth straight win all competitions, saying: 'I thought it was an outstanding performance. We started the game well, scored a great goal and probably should have had two or three.

'The pressure then overwhelms them and they get the red card. After that, I thought we controlled the game well. It was just an outstanding effort from all the lads.'

On Sky Sports, former Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp said: 'They (United) had a couple of chances but they didn't really stir the crowd into life. 

'It's tough down to ten men. You can't just switch it on and off. I don't think they were good enough in any capacity.'