Bruno Fernandes says the ‘rules have to change’ after Manchester United team-mate Amad Diallo was sent off celebrating his late winner against Liverpool.
Amad sparked wild celebrations inside Old Trafford by tucking home a dramatic winner to send Manchester United into the semi-finals of the FA Cup at the expense of arch-rivals Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, who still had outside hopes of a quadruple, led twice at the Theatre of Dreams but were denied a place in the final-four by a United side 17 points below them in the Premier League table.
While Amad was the hero for Manchester United, he had already returned to the dressing room when the full-time whistle was blown after being sent off for a second yellow card for removing his shirt during the goal celebrations.
The 21-year-old was earlier shown a yellow card for blocking a quick free-kick but Fernandes believes the rules around goal celebrations should soften.
‘Unfortunately, he got sent off, but it’s part of the moment and part of being young,’ the Manchester United captain said.
‘This moment has to be enjoyed and I think it’s one of the rules football has to change. You should be able to celebrate the goal, obviously with respect to other clubs, to enjoy your moment.’
Amad said he was ‘very disappointed’ to be sent off and ‘forgot’ he was already on a yellow when he removed his shirt to celebrate.
‘I forgot the first yellow,’ the Ivory Coast international told ITV. ‘I’m very disappointed for that, a red card, but the most important for me is to win and against a big team like Liverpool is a big, big moment for me.
‘Everyone came to me and said congratulations. I want to thank everyone, the fans were superb all game.’
Amad, who registered his second goal for Manchester United following a move from Atalanta in 2021, added: ‘It’s a dream come true. That goal will give me a lot of confidence. I want to continue like this. I’m very happy.
FIFA rule 3
Players can celebrate when a goal is scored, but the celebration must not be excessive; choreographed celebrations are not encouraged and must not cause excessive time-wasting. Leaving the field of play to celebrate a goal is not a cautionable [worthy of a yellow card] offence but players should return as soon as possible.
A player must be cautioned, even if the goal is disallowed, for:
- Climbing onto a perimeter fence and/or approaching the spectators in a manner which causes safety and/or security issues
- Acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way
- Covering the head or face with a mask or other similar item
- Removing the shirt or covering the head with the shirt
‘I wanted to give it back to [Alejandro] Garnacho, but I see the defender and I have to go on my own. It is unbelievable. It is a dream for me to score the last goal for Manchester United.
‘I want to say thanks to the supporters. It is one of the best games of the season, so we want to continue like this.’
After knocking Liverpool out of the FA Cup, Manchester United were handed a favourable semi-final tie, avoiding Manchester City and Chelsea to be drawn against Championship outfit Coventry City.
United will be strong favourites to progress to the FA Cup final but skipper Fernandes is wary of the threat of Coventry, who are impressing under Mark Robins and knocked out Wolves to reach Wembley.
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‘It is a tough game,’ Fernandes said. ‘I see some some of their games because my chef at home is a Sunderland fan, so I get to see some Championship games sometimes with him at home.
‘So for some spells they have good players on the ball. They are really difficult to play against physically. We saw it against Wolves.
‘They won the game in three minutes I think, 97 and 90 plus 10, something like that. So we know what to expect and we can’t be getting there and be surprised for what they’re going to bring to us.
‘We have to do the same as we did today on running, on tracking back or fighting spirit and everything, and then put the quality we have put on in the 30 minutes today for longer spells in the game.’
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