Manchester United have decided not to appeal Casemiro’s red card against Southampton, which will now see him miss the next three league gamesand Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham.
Casemiro was sent off against 20th-place Southampton in the 34th minute on Sunday following a full-blooded challenge on opposition player Carlos Alcaraz.
While he won the challenge fairly in many people’s eyes, the Brazilian took some of the man in the process, as his foot made a connection with the ball first before rolling over the top and clashing with the Saints player’s shin on the follow-through.
However, despite Erik ten Hag, his teammates, fans and plenty of neutrals alike questioning Anthony Taylor’s decision — with calls for him to be sacked even trending on Twitter — it is said the club will not be appealing the card and the 31-year-old will now be out of the squad for the next four English games.
BREAKING: Manchester United will not appeal the red card picked up by Casemiro during Sunday's draw with Southampton. pic.twitter.com/cAiaqkNowz
Casemiro’s red card will see him miss Fulham, Newcastle, Brentford and Everton.
This may come as a surprise to some as even when decisions are more clear-cut, most teams usually launch a somewhat hopeful appeal on the off-chance that it might be overturned.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, the sentiment seems to be that the United feel there was very little chance of it being rescinded, with ten Hag himself having once again called the referees’ consistency into question.
Speaking after the game, the Dutch coach told media he thinks “inconsistency” is the problem; “players don’t know anymore what is the policy. I guess, all across, you see this weekend yesterday Leicester vs Chelsea, VAR is not coming on the line.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Today it is coming on the line and today two penalty situations they don’t come on the line. I think especially [with] the first it is clear and obvious handball. So, what is the policy?”
🗣️ “Inconsistency and players don’t know anymore what the policy is. Casemiro is a really fair player, tough but fair. Over 500 games, never sent off.”
Erik ten Hag says players don’t know the rules anymore because of inconsistent calls from officials in the Premier League. 🟥 pic.twitter.com/uSOmkk01KN
As he went on to note to various reporters, “across European leagues, in over 500 games [Casemiro] had never a red card and now he has twice. He plays tough but he plays fair: also in this [instance] he is playing fair. Same as against Palace, so it is very debatable.
“When you freeze it looks bad, but everyone who knows something about football, who is acting on top football, they know what is bad and what isn’t bad, what is fair.” Fortunately for the Red Devils, the midfielder is still eligible to play in the Europa League.
ADVERTISEMENT
Another aspect that angered United and their supporters on the day was the fact that it was not a confident decision (i.e. an instant red) from Taylor, having first awarded a yellow card before being sent over to the monitor and making his decision based on the clip in isolation and slowed down — the kind of replay which football fans regularly argue warps an official’s perception.
Nevertheless, the referees‘ union seems to be sticking together on the decision with the likes of ex-pro Dermot Gallagher noting that since his studs were up and both feet left the ground as he lunged in for the tackle, Casemiro was deemed to be out of control of his body and risking serious foul play.
Dermot Gallagher says Casemiro's red card was the CORRECT decision by the referee ✅ pic.twitter.com/O53yK2GXnQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 13, 2023
As always with these kinds of incidents, aggrieved fans are now sharing clips of other challenges throughout the season where VAR hasn’t intervened when other clearer fouls and card-worthy decisions have occurred.
Included in the statement following the decision, the club shared a video of an interview by Spanish football magazine Panenka with Casemiro from last year, which seemed to give some more context as to why he was so upset following his second red in such an illustrious career.
It’s worth noting that even the fouled player Alvarez got up off the deck to console Casemiro following his second red card in his last three Premier League appearances.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I always try to get to the ball”, said Casemiro, “I always go strong because that is who I am and I like the intensity I play with, but there is no malice. I have never gone with studs to hurt a player”.
This is why Casemiro was in tears when red carded v Southampton.
Playing hard, but fair, is a matter of principle to him and he never tackles with malice. Didn't yesterday.
Zero straight reds in career before coming to the Premier League (and its VAR) pic.twitter.com/ckBgiaBWGW
The 2026 World Breaking Finals of the UK B-Boy Championships are coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
It’s official: the UK B-Boy Championships are returning to Manchester this year for the 2026 World Breaking Finals, in what is a special anniversary for the annual tournament.
Celebrating three decades since the inaugural event this summer, the UK B-Boy Champs will once again remind fans why they still remain among the gold standard for competitive breakdancing.
With elite breakers and dance battlers from more than 20 different countries in attendance – and plenty of contestants from each, at that – it’s going to be a real global showcase of talent.
Returning to Manchester once again, we can’t wait to see breakdancing take over the Factory International concourse and wider campus.
Anyone in the world will know that the city also hosted another big European equivalent back in 2022 on behalf of the 2022 World DanceSport Federation, but the UK B-Boy Championships have a passionate following of their own.
This also happens to be the 30th anniversary of the event, so it’s a momentous occasion on many levels.
With live music from not only classic artists and legendary MCs, but artists for the future too, there’ll be plenty of tunes and impressive moves from start to finish.
Coming to Aviva Studios this summer, they’ve billed it quite short and sweet: “The sickest breakers on the planet will battle in a once-in-a-generation celebration of Hip-Hop culture.”
They’re promising “High-stakes rivalries. Gravity-defying moves”, and “Unforgettable performances”, adding, “This isn’t just another battle – this is the Champs legacy in motion.”
Credit: Supplied
The World Breaking Finals get underway in Manchester on 16 August at Aviva Studios, and it’s all set up to be arguably the biggest yet.
General admission went on sale this past Friday, 13 March, with adult tickets starting from only £20 and kids from just a tenner.
As we mentioned before, this isn’t the only big sporting date coming to Manchester this year, with the likes of the British basketball’s annual Cup Finals concluding at AO Arena and another big Super League set to for a grandstand finish at our other big indoor entertainment venue…
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Get the Affects Communications)
Sport
The Premier League and EFL should follow La Liga’s lead and bring Retro Matchdays to the UK
Danny Jones
Following the news that La Liga is set to debut a new ‘Retro Matchday’ round, we can’t help but ask the question: why didn’t the Premier League and EFL think of this first?
Well, technically, neither did the Spaniards, but you take our point.
Anyone who follows the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, or even the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) equivalent here in the UK and mainland Europe, will know that the concept is nothing new – but by and large, it seems to be for the beautiful game.
In case you missed it, in an effort to further capitalise on the increasing trend of vintage and classic football kit fashion/the wider nostalgia culture that only seems to be growing every year, Spain’s top two tiers will soon host their inaugural Retro Matchday gameweek next month, and we want a piece of it.
Set to be hosted from Friday, 10 April, over the usual weekend of football in their premier and second division, and running until the final lot of fixtures on Monday, 13 April (no, thankfully not an April Fool’s), supporters will get to see players step out onto the pitch in some of the country’s most iconic kits.
Depending on who you ask, some would argue that Spain has some of the nicest footy shirts all time, whether that be the national side or clubs themselves.
To be honest, we definitely have a soft spot for a proper European throwback – we’re thinking Borussia Dortmund’s 1995/96 home kit, the Napoli kits of the 80s, that amazing Toyota-sponsored Fila Fiorentina kit at the turn of the millennium – and even some of the best 2000s ones now look so old-school.
In fact, we actually had a taster of these kinds of special matches in the past, including here in 0161 for the likes of the Manchester Derby.
Reminds me of the Manchester derby in 2008 where they played in retro kits due to it coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Munich disaster. Looked absolutely brilliant. pic.twitter.com/TLRjKHThbG
When you also take into account that, besides collectors already creating a whole new craze in filling their cupboards with classic kits, the likes of Nike, Adidas and more now regularly turning to old designs like the ‘Futura’, Total 90′ and various ‘adi Originals’ revivals of late, it’s more the rage than ever.
Birmingham’s recent ‘penguin’ remake, Port Vale’s traditional 150th anniversary one, based on their 1953-54 season jersey, not to mention countless other lifestyle fashion collections inspired by historic releases, you can’t move for the stuff – so why not get them wearing it on the grass?
As mentioned, the likes of local ice hockey outfit Manchester Storm have been taking a leaf out of the NHL’s book for ages now, with the annual ‘Retro Nights’ proving to be some of the most popular dates on the calendar, even selling off original shirts in the stadium itself before, during and after the match.
We genuinely can’t think of a single football lover following a team at any level in the English football pyramid that wouldn’t LOVE this. In fact, plenty of them already go to the ground wearing their dad’s second-hand away strip, which has turned out to be a modern cult favourite among the next generation.
These are the kinds of ideas we can see fans actually getting behind; you can find out more HERE. Would you like to see a retro Premier League and/or EFL match day featuring your favourite kits from down the years?
Danny Jones -
14th March 2023 
