Marco Silva explains his red card vs Man Utd & defends Aleksandar Mitrovic after FA Cup exit

Marco Silva claimed he was sent off against Manchester United for leaving his technical area, in the 3-1 FA Cup loss on Sunday, while he also defended Aleksandar Mitrovic after his striker also saw red.

In total, three were dismissed at Old Trafford in the FA Cup quarter-final, with Willian, Mitrovic and Silva all shown red cards in the space of 40 seconds as the game was turned on its head. The Red Devils grabbed three late goals against the nine men, to ensure they’ll head to Wembley in April.

Silva’s dismissal came after he approached referee Chris Kavanagh as the official headed to the pitchside monitor to check the incident in which Willian denied Jadon Sancho’s goal with a handball on the line. Yet the Fulham boss claimed he was sent off for leaving his technical area and not for anything he said to the referee.

“I got the red card before the decision comes and if I got the red card for being out of my area - that is the reason for the referee to give me a red card,” explained the former Watford and Everton boss. “I have to accept it because I didn’t say anything to make him give me the red card, even though he did not listen to what I said to him.

“I said something. It was not: ‘Shut up’. He didn’t listen, for sure,” he added. “The referee was in a pressure moment watching the screen and I should have been in the technical area.

“I don’t remember in that moment [what I said]. I didn’t say he was a really nice guy and the decision was fair. I am not coming here to lie to you. I accept if he feels that is the decision to give me because I was out of the technical area in the moment where he was watching the screen. If that’s the reason to give the red card, I have to accept.”

Seconds after Silva was shown a red, Mitrovic was also dismissed for pushing and barging into Kavanagh. Yet, surprisingly, the Fulham boss seemed to defend his striker when speaking after the game and said he does not think it should be a lengthy ban for the Serbian. He also felt the Cottagers should have been awarded two penalties in the first half, for incidents involving potential fouls on Mitrovic by Luke Shaw and then Lisandro Martinez.

“And about Mitro, he should control the emotions in that moment, even if the decision is against us, even if we had two moments in the box that the referee didn’t give, of course he was involved in all those moments. At the same time he has to control the emotions.

“I saw the image and I spoke with Mitro. It is a moment for him to control the emotions. He pushed the referee, but I did not see that in so bad bad way like you are saying to me, but I hope the people who are going to decide [do so] with fairness.

“There were two moments in the box, in their box, that Mitro was involved. No-one checked, no-one cared about the situation. And that’s it. Unfortunately for us we have been very unlucky with Chris Kavanagh this season, many moments. It is difficult to understand some of the decisions.”

The win for United means they’ll play Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup semi-final next month, with Manchester City set to meet Sheffield United in the other tie.