Why Bruno Fernandes was furious with the referee in Man Utd win over Chelsea as 'stamp' missed

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was left incensed over a potential missed red card during Saturday's 1-0 win at Chelsea . Michael Carrick's side have taken a massive stride towards Champions League qualification after Matheus Cunha's first-half strike secured all three points at Stamford Bridge.

The Reds now sit 10 points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea, who are just one position below the final qualification spot for Europe's elite competition. Carrick's men need a maximum of six points from their remaining five matches to seal a Champions League berth - a tournament they have been absent from since 2023.

Yet Fernandes was far from satisfied with referee Michael Oliver during United's win in west London. The Portuguese midfielder made his frustration plain after Blues player Romeo Lavia appeared to tread on him with the match already stopped following a foul.

Had Oliver ruled that Lavia did stamp on Fernandes, the Chelsea midfielder would almost certainly have received a red card for violent conduct. Instead, no card was produced.

The incident is unlikely to dampen United's spirits, though. The Reds have been revitalised since interim boss Carrick took over from Ruben Amorim in January.

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Carrick's side have suffered just two defeats all year in the league and appear virtually guaranteed to secure a Champions League berth after a season away from Europe. Fernandes is keeping his feet on the ground though.

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Speaking to TNT Sports after Saturday's victory, he said: "It's an amazing feeling for us, we had to bounce back, not just about Leeds, we had two games that we didn't win.

"We knew we had to make a great performance because Chelsea are good side. It's important for us because our aim is to be top four, making distance is perfect for us.

"I feel three points closer [to Champions League qualification], we have another game that we have to win. We know we need points to get that place secured and we will do everything possible to be as quick as possible."

Fernandes is also now merely two assists away from the Premier League assist record. The 31-year-old has five matches remaining to at least match the 20 assists established by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.

He added: "I say every time I want to do better than the season before. I want to improve my game overall.