Manchester United stunned Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, Jan. 25, and won 3-2 in the Premier League clash. They have now been handed some bad news, and reports suggest Matheus Cunha could be suspended.
Manchester United Star Matheus Cunha at Risk of Suspension
Cunha scored the winner against Arsenal and had a memorable celebration that has gone viral on social media. The cameras picked up the Brazilian swearing after scoring the goal, and he is now in hot water.
In fact, Peter Drury of Sky Sports was forced to apologise for Cunha’s outburst. “If you heard some bad language in among the celebrations, for that we apologise,” he said.
According to a report in the Manchester Evening News, Cunha could be handed a ban if the Football Association (FA) charges him with misconduct. The IFAB laws state that players who use abusive language could be given retroactive punishments if the referee misses it on the pitch. The law reads:
“While a referee might not always hear a player swear in the heat of the moment, the FA has the power to take retroactive disciplinary action if the incident is caught on camera and broadcast to a wide audience. The FA views swearing directly into a lens as a ‘clear and deliberate’ act of misconduct that brings the game into disrepute.”
The report suggests the Brazilian would have been sent off seconds after scoring the winner. He had come off the bench for the final 22 minutes and managed to find the back of the net with three minutes left.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick heaped praise on Cunha for his performance and was delighted with the goal. He said:
“It was a good start to the second half and then Matheus comes on –- had a big impact like he did last week. Created a goal last week and I just fancied it [the ball] would come out of his feet. I really fancied him to score.”
“Again, fantastic finish. It kind of epitomises what we’ve been like as a group this week – Matheus has not started both games but he’s had a real big impact. He’s been disappointed not to start but he’s used it in a really good way.”
Cunha’s retrospective ban could be in line with Wayne Rooney’s 2011 suspension. He was hit with a 2-match ban after he used abusive language after completing his hat-trick against West Ham United in their 4-2 win at Upton Park.
A similar ban for Cunha would see him miss the home matches against Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.
