Aleksandar Mitrovic ‘should control his emotions’, says Marco Silva after Fulham implosion against Manchester United

Fulham boss Marco Silva said that Aleksandar Mitrovic should “control his emotions” after the Serbian forward was dismissed after appearing to shove referee Chris Kavanagh.

However, Silva added that he wanted to check similar situations to see if “they did the same with other players this season.”

First, as Kavanagh made his way back to the pitch, he brandished a red to Silva, who had been gesticulating at the referee as he was at the monitor.

He then awarded a penalty, and went to dip into his pocket for a red card, showing it first to Willian and then immediately to Mitrovic after the forward appeared to put his hands on the referee.

“If the VAR decides, then it’s clear. Mitro should control his emotions a bit. I would like to check if they did the same with other players this season, but we should have emotional control in the moment.

“Of course it is a moment for him [Mitro] to learn. He was involved in two situations in the box, the ref didn’t check, he has to be in control of the moment.”

Silva added that his own indiscretion was not deserving of a red card.

“If you ask me whether it should be a red card, I have big doubts,” said Silva. “Because I would like to know what the referee is going to write what I said to him. It was not something that [should] make him give me a red card.”

Fulham were leading 1-0 at the time of the incident.

Bruno Fernandes scored the resulting 75th-minute penalty before Marcel Sabitzer scored just two minutes later to turn the tie on its head.

Fernandes then put added gloss on the scoreline with his second in stoppage time.