Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has erupted in fury after a dramatic and controversial moment at the Vitality Stadium saw his team reduced to 10 men during their 1-1 draw against Manchester United — a decision he believes was not only wrong, but disgracefully handled by the officials.
The flashpoint came in the 70th minute, when Bournemouth striker Evanilson was initially booked for a tackle on United’s Noussair Mazraoui. But after a VAR review — and to the disbelief of many — referee Peter Bankes upgraded the yellow card to a straight red, citing “serious foul play.”
Replays, however, told a different story: Evanilson appeared to slip moments before making contact, making the red card decision seem excessively harsh.
Speaking in a tense post-match press conference, Iraola didn’t hold back.
> “It’s common sense… he slipped! Everyone saw it, it’s clear as daylight. The referee was right there, he saw it — but somehow VAR made it worse. How can you call that serious foul play? It’s a joke. An absolute joke,” Iraola fumed.
But the Bournemouth boss didn’t stop there. He went as far as accusing the officials of favoritism toward Manchester United, a statement that is sure to spark heated debate across the Premier League.
> “There’s no consistency anymore. Similar challenges get overlooked when Manchester United players are involved. But today, Evanilson gets a red? It’s unfair, and it’s damaging to teams like us fighting for something important.”
At the time of the red card, Bournemouth were leading 1-0 and looking increasingly confident. However, the dismissal turned the tide, forcing them onto the back foot and inviting pressure from a desperate United side.
Ultimately, their resistance broke deep into stoppage time, with Rasmus Højlund bundling home an equalizer that denied Bournemouth a massive victory.
Adding fuel to the fire, Iraola referenced past inconsistencies involving Manchester United — notably an incident where Bruno Fernandes had a similar challenge overturned in a previous match.
> “Where is the consistency? Where is the accountability? We’re appealing the red card immediately. This can’t go on,” he said, clearly still seething.
This latest controversy comes after a season of mounting frustration for Bournemouth regarding officiating standards. Iraola has already voiced grievances over contentious VAR calls during matches against Arsenal and Wolves — grievances that now seem to be boiling over into full-blown anger.
The fallout from this game is likely to be massive. Bournemouth, who are still chasing a dream of European football, now sit 10th in the table — while Manchester United’s nightmare campaign continues, limping along in 14th place.
With emotions raw and tempers flaring, the Premier League finds itself under renewed scrutiny over the quality and consistency of its officiating, as yet another match descends into chaos and controversy.
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