Manchester United had one player booked and another sent off in the dying minutes of another miserable afternoon at Stamford Bridge, but should the cards have been reversed?
A Samuel Eto’o hat-trick consigned the Red Devils to their fourth defeat of 2014 and dealt a further blow to their chances of making the Champions League next season in what was the latest of a series of bad days at the office for David Moyes.
In the closing stages, captain Nemanja Vidic was given a straight red card (which will rule him out of the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg on Wednesday night) for a rash lunge on Eden Hazard…
…while only moments later, Rafael was given just a yellow for a reckless two-footed lunge on Gary Cahill.
Rafael’s challenge certainly looked worse than Vidic’s and while referee Phil Dowd was arguably influenced by his decision to send Vidic off, the Brazilian can count himself incredibly lucky that he wasn’t also given his marching orders.
So, did Dowd get his decisions right, should the cards have been reversed or should both players have seen red? Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comment box below, but keep it clean people.
Hat-tip: 101 Great Goals and Sphera Sports
