Ayden Heaven of Manchester United passes the ball during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK on 3 May 2026 / Man United's Ayden Heaven lunges into a challenge on Bournemouth's Evanilson on 25 October 2026
Ayden Heaven of Manchester United passes the ball during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK on 3 May 2026 / Man United's Ayden Heaven lunges into a challenge on Bournemouth's Evanilson on 25 October 2026
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the Manchester United defender used a "degree of malice" despite making no contact.
Football fans up and down the country were divided on Sunday, 25 October, when United's No.26 was shown a yellow card at Old Trafford.
While Heaven made no contact with his opponent, many were calling for a straight red card due to the sheer recklessness of his challenge.
The Cherries went on to claim all three points in a 3-0 win anyway, with goals from Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson.
Nonetheless, it was a controversial incident that raised a lot of questions, and it would seem as though Gillett did make the wrong decision.
Ayden Heaven 'should have walked' vs Bournemouth
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett explained that Heaven "should have walked" in the 37th minute despite making no contact with Evanilson.
"Absolutely. I do think this is a red card. What we've got to understand is that this is a youthful player," he explained.
"And within that context, he's got away with that one. That will not stop him from doing it again. He came in with excessive force and he was off the ground.
"He was out of control, and people will say, 'Well he didn't hit the player'. No, he didn't. But he endangered the safety of that player and people are forgetting that aspect of the law.
"So you can be dismissed even though you don't make contact with your opponent. You can endanger the safety of your opponent.
"He had excessive force, and there was a degree of malice in that challenge. So for me, he should have walked."
Michael Carrick on the edge of Man United sack
Before the defeat to Bournemouth, Mick Brown had told Football Insider that the owners were not yet considering a change in the dugout.
Just three goals later, and it looks as though Michael Carrick's time in charge at Old Trafford is about to come to a very sad end.
The manager is set for crunch talks over his future at Carrington on Monday, 26 October, but there is no guarantee that this is actually the end.
Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are already being sounded out at potential replacements, but whoever comes in is unlikely to do much better.