Man Utd handed unanimous red card verdict as Diogo Dalot somehow avoids sending off

The former Premier League referee Mike Dean is adamant that Anthony Taylor should have sent off Diogo Dalot during the Manchester derby. The full-back was only shown a yellow card after his studs made contact with Jeremy Doku's knee, which buckled under the impact.

Dean said on Sky Sports News: "For me, that's 100% a red card. There's not a lot of force in it, but it's too high, the knee's buckled back, for me, that's a red card all day."

"At normal speed, to be fair, you can't tell. It just looks like it's a late tackle and he's caught him.

"But when you see the replays, the replays aren't good; for me, that's a red card. I know they said don't go looking for things, but it's high, it's across the kneecap, it's a red card all day."

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The Premier League's official match centre account on X said: "The referee's call of a yellow card to Dalot for a reckless challenge was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact deemed to be glancing and not with excessive force."

Gary Neville said on commentary: "Not good. It is knee high. The ball is there, and Jeremy Doku shifts it.

"Diogo Dalot is very late. He is clearly looking for the ball, but Doku is too quick for him."

Pundits in the Sky Sports studio were also all in agreement. Micah Richards said: "He's on top of his knee, that's the clearest red card you're going to see.

"I mean, what more do you want for a red card? Studs on the knee."

Daniel Sturridge, referring to the explanation given for the cautioned not being upgraded, added: "That's not a glancing blow. That's 'taking a knee in a boxing match', you've got a good punch to the jaw.

"That to me there, looks like a red. If I'm Doku, I'm staying down. If he stays down longer..." Roy Keane interjected: "He helps him, definitely."

Sturrdge concluded: "That's a red card." On the subject of whether in happening within the first ten minutes of the match was a factor, Keane said: "Well, maybe, but obviously they've had a look at it, do you know what I mean?

"We always argue about 'does it matter what minute it is? Is it too early? Too early to score a goal? Bad tackle, like that?'

"Listen, I've been down this road before: I've given out some heavy tackles and been on the receiving end of a few. To me? I'm no expert on red cards, but...I think it's a red."