Manchester United were awarded a penalty midway through the first-half after Calvin Bassey was penalised for a foul on Mason Mount
Gary Neville.
Gary Neville was critical of Calvin Bassey for his foul on Mason Mount during their clash against Man United
(Image: Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Gary Neville has criticised Calvin Bassey after he conceded a penalty during Manchester United's showdown with Fulham. The defender was penalised after hauling Mason Mount down in the box midway through the first-half.
It was a blistering start from Ruben Amorim's side as they put the Cottagers under pressure from the offset with Matheus Cunha hitting the post and being denied by Bernd Leno from point-blank range. They failed to capitalise on their early dominance, which allowed Fulham to grow into the game, however the Video Assistant Referee intervened to hand United the chance to break the deadlock from 12 yards.
Referee Chris Kavanagh was sent to the screen after play had continued and the video evidence showed the defender throwing the former Chelsea midfielder to the ground as they jostled from a corner.
Neville revealed that during a Premier League briefing, it was highlighted that officials would clamp down on man-handling from set-pieces and Bassey was, as a result, one of the first to be penalised under the new directive.
The former United defender was far from impressed with the defensive display from the stopper as he described the action as 'needless' and 'ridiculous'.
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"It's Bassey on Mount, it's that throw - it's reckless and stupid from Bassey," he said.
"It's just needless, a silly one. He's going to ask him to review it. We know referees have been told to clamp down on these, the players have been told as well. It's just stupid from Bassey.
"He's going to give it... We went to a Premier League briefing two or three days before the start of the season and they said they were going to clamp down.
"This sort of thing, he swings him around, he's obviously stronger than Mount and let's him know. It's just ridiculous really, no need to do it."
But captain Bruno Fernandes couldn't find the back of the net as he fired his spot-kick over the bar to send both teams in goalless at the break.
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