Man Utd news: Romelu Lukaku should miss next three United matches - Steve Nicol
MANCHESTER UNITED striker Romelu Lukaku should be facing a three-match suspension after a tackle in the 1-0 win over Bournemouth last night.
ESPN
That is according to ESPN FC pundit and legendary Liverpool defender Steve Nicol.
Lukaku scored the only goal for Manchester United to help them bounce back from the disappointing Manchester derby defeat last Sunday.
However, Nicol does not think the Belgian should have been on the pitch at the time.
He believes his tackle on Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake early in the game was worthy of a straight red card, which would usually rule him out of three domestic games for violent conduct.
“He shouldn’t have been on the field!” Nicol said of Lukaku.
Lukaku catches Ake just above the ankle, it was a red card
“He should have got sent off after five minutes! He made a horrendous challenge on Ake, was so late, the ball was well gone. He catches him just above the ankle, it was a red card.
“If the referee had seen it properly, because he was a good 35-40 yards away, and in the end he only gave a foul, he didn’t even give him a yellow card.
“I’ll tell you, if the referee had seen it properly, red card all day long.”
Nicol believes Ake’s reaction to the tackle prevented Lukaku from receiving any punishment.
ESPN
“Ake for me is the one reason why the referee didn’t do anything,” he added.
“As soon as Ake goes down, he sees the referee put his hand in his pocket and then from nowhere Ake gets up and jogs off.
“Just because of Ake’s reaction, I think that’s why the ref didn’t (punish Lukaku).”
United face West Brom and Leicester next in the Premier League, with the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Championship outfit Bristol City in-between.
