Andre Onana should have been sent off BEFORE Man Utd shootout for act that ‘never gets mentioned’, claims Jeff Stelling
JEFF STELLING has claimed Andre Onana should have been sent off during Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final win over Coventry.
Onana was booked during normal time and picked up an additional yellow during the penalty shootout.
According to the laws of the game, yellow cards picked up during the game are reset during a shootout.
This is to protect teams from not having a keeper during a shootout, when substitutions cannot be made.
Onana proved to be decisive in United’s penalty victory, saving Callum O’Hare’s pen on the way to a 4-2 shootout win for United.
But Stelling has explained on his TalkSPORT show that he believes Onana shouldn’t have been on the pitch to make that save.
After Onana had received his first yellow for time-wasting from a goal-kick, he then wasted more time by going behind his goal and taking a swig of water.
Stelling explained: “By the way, just one thing that never gets mentioned, gets overlooked, I just want to say Andre Onana shouldn’t have been on the field for the penalty shootout.
“He’s been given a yellow card after 85 minutes by Rob Jones. And what does he do? He goes behind his goal, picks up his water bottle, takes a drink of water.
“If Rob Jones had had any bottle, he’d have shown him another yellow card immediately because the goalkeeper was taking the mickey out of the referee.”
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United ultimately reached the FA Cup final, but did so in an embarrassing fashion.
They were cruising at 3-0 before a 71st minute Ellis Simms goal triggered a late collapse which saw the game go to extra time and penalties.
After the game, Erik ten Hag said: “We had control for 75 minutes and have to give Coventry a compliment for what they did in the last 15 minutes.
“We have to improve. We talk a lot about this. First, you have to put yourself in a winning position but then you have to take it over the line. In these moments we are making mistakes and not keeping our responsibilities.”
Bruno Fernandes should be embarrassed by this… United fans were, says Neil Custis
By Neil Custis
BRUNO FERNANDES ended the FA Cup semi-final a man bemused as to what he had been a part of.
No doubt knowing it would be he would have to try and explain it all again.
Rarely have a team slunk away from this stadium with a feeling of embarrassment having just reach an FA Cup Final.
The next time Fernandes turns up at the home of football he wants to be heading up those metal steps and picking up silverware.
Nothing less will do for the captain of Manchester United.
But he knows they have not got a hope of gaining revenge on this cross town rivals Manchester City if this is what they are going to deliver.
This was an embarrassment, plain and simple, for Ten Hag, for Fernandes, for every player in red.
After the skipper finished his TV interview he turned around to the end that had housed the United fans to clap them in thanks.
There was barely anyone left.
Read Neil Custis’ opinion in full here.
Or click here to read all of Neil’s article.