Alan Shearer acknowledged that Bruno Guimaraes was fortunate not to receive a red card during Newcastle United’s 2-2 draw against West Ham. The match at the London Stadium on Sunday was a lively one, with the incident involving the Brazilian midfielder Bruno taking center stage.
Initially, he received a yellow card for a foul on Emerson Palmieri, and shortly after that, he avoided a red card despite a reckless challenge on James Ward-Prowse. Shearer, a Newcastle legend, shared his perspective on Match of the Day 2, stating that Newcastle should have been reduced to 10 players.
Shearer stated, “To be clear and impartial, I believe it should have been a red card. I think it should have resulted in two yellow cards. Bruno may disagree with this decision, but he did extend his leg in a manner that rightfully earned him a yellow card. Then, just 90 seconds later, there was the second challenge, which was prompted by a poor pass from Sandro Tonali, and he was lucky.”
“On another day, I believe the correct decision would have been either a yellow or red card, so Newcastle was fortunate this time. This could have potentially altered the course of the game.”
While a point against West Ham, especially considering their recent victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, is not a bad result, Newcastle’s performance in the first half was subpar. Had Bruno been sent off, as he unquestionably should have been, it could have significantly impacted the outcome of the match.
Nobody wants to constantly criticize referees; we all prefer to focus on the action on the field. However, when referees fail to make straightforward decisions like this one, it can be incredibly frustrating.
Bruno himself argued that he should not have been booked for his tackle on Emerson, but it was an obvious and intentional foul. The second incident was even more clear-cut and deserving of a caution. Without a doubt, he should have been sent off early in the game.