The reasons why Harry Maguire has been given an extra one-game ban following his red card at Bournemouth last month can be revealed, after the Football Association released the findings of their disciplinary hearing.
Maguire was shown a straight red card in the 78th minute of Manchester United’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth in the Premier League on March 20 following a foul on Evanilson.
As a result of that incident he missed Monday night’s abject 2-1 home defeat by bitter rivals Leeds United.
Earlier on Wednesday, it was confirmed that Maguire’s ban has been extended to two games by the FA after they upheld his misconduct charge for swearing at a fourth official at the Vitality Stadium.
The FA’s charge against Maguire, released earlier this month, said: ‘It is alleged that the defender acted in an improper manner and/or abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards the fourth official following his dismissal.’
That was understood to be swearing at fourth official Matt Donohue, which was confirmed by the FA on Wednesday following the release of the disciplinary hearing findings.
The FA state that an unhappy Maguire swore at Donohue after being sent off by referee Stuart Attwell, declaring: ‘You’re a joke. You’re all a f***ing joke.’
The report states that Maguire denied that happened and said: ‘I did not use abusive and/or insulting words towards the fourth official or any other match official.
‘As I left the field of play following my dismissal I said something along the lines of “it is a f***ing joke”.
‘I am certain that I did not call the Fourth Official or any Match Official, a joke or use any other form of insult.’
As a result of the findings, Maguire will be suspended for Manchester United’s trip to top-five rivals Chelsea on Saturday night.
United are already likely to be without Lisandro Martinez, who is facing a three-match ban for a red card of his own against Leeds. That means their centre-back pairing against Chelsea could be made up of 20-year-old Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, 19.
It leaves United, who are making an unlikely appeal against Martinez’s ban, in a tricky position for their game at Stamford Bridge.
Matthijs de Ligt is still out injured, having been sidelined since November 30.
United have not won any of the three games Yoro and Heaven have started together this season, conceding seven goals against Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Leeds when Ruben Amorim was in charge.
‘That’s why we have a squad,’ manager Michael Carrick said of fielding the young pair this week. ‘We have got players that we can call upon. We will go there and look forward to the game.
‘Hopefully Licha [Martinez] is still available. I certainly think he should be after that [red card], but we will see.’
Carrick also said he hopes Kobbie Mainoo’s absence ‘won’t be too long’ after he missed the defeat by Leeds.
