Man Utd legend insists Liverpool red cards ‘don’t count’
Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic has insisted that red cards picked up against Liverpool ‘don’t count’ during an exclusive interview.
Vidic was sent off an incredible four times against the Reds with three coming in just over a year – but he told The Athletic (subscription required) that they shouldn’t go on his permanent record.
People may remember the Serbian as a nasty player who went about his football in an old school way, but according to Vidic he ‘didn’t like kicking people’. Except against Liverpool.
That tally is so high but the Red Devil would like to see them wiped from the record books as he reminded everyone that he didn’t pick up reds very often ‘apart from the ones against Liverpool, but they don’t count.’
His first red came in the 90th minute of a 2-1 Liverpool win that saw Carlos Tevez put United one up after just three minutes before Wes Brown score an own goal and Ryan Babel hit the winner.
After that Vidic got his marching orders during the 76th minute of a 4-1 loss as Alan Wiley deemed his foul to be professional in nature. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring before Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Fábio Aurélio and Andrea Dossena completed a highly satisfying turn-around.
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The third came during the 2-0 loss in which Javier Mascherano was also shown his marching orders. Vidic picked up two yellow cards, as did Mascherano, while Torres and David N’Gog hit the back of the net.
Next was another loss – this time 3-0, and we’re noticing a pattern – as Vidic had a nightmare six minute period that saw him pick up two yellows between the 71st and 76th minutes. Gerrard got a double and then Luis Suarez struck the final goal just six minutes before full time.
Despite that streak of ill-discipline, Vidic doesn’t label himself as aggressive. ‘I wasn’t nasty, I didn’t give people big injuries,’ he insisted.
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But then this is also a man who got so carried away against a big rival that he saw red multiple times and now doesn’t want to include them on his resume.