The Premier League has provided an explanation for why Patrick Dorgu was not sent off during Manchester United’s 4-2 victory over Brighton. The incident occurred when Dorgu, who had just come on as a substitute, appeared to bring down Yakuba Minteh, the last man, on the edge of the box.
Manchester United secured their third consecutive win in a thrilling match that saw them take a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Matheus Cunha, Casemiro, and Bryan Mbeumo. With the game seemingly under control, manager Ruben Amorim made a substitution, bringing on Patrick Dorgu in place of Amad Diallo. This decision shifted the momentum of the match.
Just minutes after entering the field, Dorgu committed a foul on Minteh, leading to a free-kick and a yellow card. Many fans were surprised by the referee’s decision, as such actions typically result in a red card. However, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) confirmed the referee’s call, stating that it did not constitute a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
Danny Welbeck scored the resulting free-kick, and Brighton equalized in injury time through Charalampos Kostoulas, creating a dramatic finish at Old Trafford. Fortunately for United, Mbeumo scored again in the final moments to ensure the victory. Had United been reduced to 10 men, the outcome could have been very different.
The Premier League Match Centre clarified the situation on Twitter, stating: “The referee’s call of a yellow card for the challenge by Dorgu on Minteh was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed not to be denial of a goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO) due to the position of Senne Lammens and the likelihood of Minteh gaining control of the ball.”
United legend Gary Neville supported the decision after reviewing the replay. He said on Sky Sports: “It is a coming together. I thought the foul for the third goal was more of a foul than that one. He [Minteh] was never getting it; he’d lost control of it. I actually don’t think that’s a foul. There’s nothing in it at all.”
Neville also expressed surprise that Bryan Mbeumo’s first goal was not disallowed, as Luke Shaw appeared to grab Georginio Rutter’s shirt in the buildup. He commented: “There is a left hand and a little bit of a pull. It is soft, but when you grab someone like that, he is away from Luke Shaw. I am surprised it hasn’t been pulled back. He is past him as well.”
The Match Centre explained the decision, stating: “The referee’s call of a goal for Manchester United was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact from Shaw on Rutter in the buildup deemed to be minimal.”
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