“Why did Shaw avoid a red card?” Shearer blasts referees after Bentancur’s controversial sending-off. VIDEO

England legend Alan Shearer criticized the officiating in the sixth-round Premier League clash between Manchester United and Tottenham. The pundit was furious that Rodrigo Bentancur was shown a red card after a confrontation with Luke Shaw, while the Manchester United defender escaped with a booking.

The controversial incident occurred in the 78th minute, with Manchester United leading 1-0. Shaw shoved Bentancur, sending the Uruguayan midfielder to the ground, but he quickly got back to his feet and headbutted his opponent during the ensuing confrontation. The referee deemed the Tottenham midfielder’s actions worthy of a sending-off.

Shearer did not claim that Bentancur should have been spared a red card, but he did draw attention to the actions of the other player involved in the altercation.

“I’m not saying Bentancur shouldn’t have been sent off, but how the hell does Shaw only get a yellow card? He clearly shoved his opponent to the ground, and it was far from a light push,” the pundit said.

According to the former striker, referees must assess the actions of both players consistently. Shearer also pointed to other controversial decisions in matches involving Manchester United and stressed that consistency in officiating is of paramount importance.

• Read also: Can Como slow down the leaders? Como vs Roma prediction – 11.10.2026

However, the sending-off did not help the hosts hold on to victory. In stoppage time, Dominic Solanke equalized, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.