Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur received a straight red card for violent conduct after head-butting left-back Luke Shaw during their clash at Old Trafford on Saturday. The incident, which came with around 15 minutes of normal time remaining, sparked a melee involving players and staff from both sides and left Spurs to play out the closing stages with ten men. Despite the setback, Dominic Solanke’s stoppage-time header earned a 1-1 draw.
The flashpoint unfolded in the 78th minute, only about 12 minutes after Rodrigo Bentancur had come on as a substitute for Lucas Bergvall. Earlier, the Uruguayan had been involved in robust sliding challenges, including one that caught Luke Shaw. After play had been stopped, Shaw responded by shoving Bentancur to the ground. The Spurs man quickly got up, squared up to the England international and thrust his forehead into Shaw’s face. Players from both teams rushed in, and the referee had to intervene to restore order while the game was paused. Shaw was booked for his part in the confrontation, as was Tottenham defender Jan Paul van Hecke. Bentancur, however, was dismissed.
Referee Stuart Attwell showed the red card for violent conduct. He was heard saying: “I’ve got a red card for Bentancur for a headbutt.” The video assistant referee, Jarred Gillett, reviewed the footage and upheld the on-field call. VAR confirmed: “He puts his head into Shaw with some force – that’s violent conduct. He stands up and into Shaw, and there’s a movement of the head.” The decision left little room for debate once the head contact was clear, even though some observers felt Shaw’s shove could have warranted a stronger sanction.
The red card arrived just five minutes after had given Manchester United a 1-0 lead. The Cameroonian finished a move involving , driving a low shot past Antonin Kinsky in the 73rd minute. Tottenham had been the better side for long stretches and created several chances without converting them, but United’s goal looked set to decide a tense encounter. With Spurs reduced to ten men, the task appeared even harder. Yet Roberto De Zerbi’s side stayed organised and found a way back in the second minute of added time. Sandro Tonali delivered a cross that Solanke glanced past goalkeeper Senne Lammens, silencing large sections of the home crowd.
The point lifts Tottenham off the bottom of the table into 18th place with three points from six matches, still without a Premier League win this season. remain 12th with six points. Bentancur’s suspension will keep him out for the next three league games.
