Tempers flared towards the end of Sunday’s game at the Riverside.
With the score 2-1 to Manchester United at that point, relegation threatened Middlesbrough sensed an equaliser.
As they prepared to send a late free-kick into the United box, Rudy Gestede was seen tangling with Eric Bailly on the edge of the penalty area. Initially not picked up by the live footage of the game, replays later showed how the pair had to be pulled apart by their respective teammates.
But, as many viewers pointed out, the initial replay appeared to show something more than just a bit of pushing and shoving…
https://twitter.com/FourFourJordan/status/843468010912436225
https://twitter.com/Scouserhater/status/843460116565442561
https://twitter.com/KyeGoodman/status/843459799195013120
Nobody talking about Gestede trying to bite Bailly. Standard.
— Scott 🏴 (@ElevatedType11) March 19, 2017
Gestede trying to bite Bailly. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— Anand Srivastha (@Jigarthanda) March 19, 2017
Gestede the new Suarez 👀. #HeMustOfBeenHungry
— Chris Harty (@ChrisHarty14) March 19, 2017
And while the camera angle that was first shown might have suggested this…
… it became clear from a different camera angle after the game that Gestede’s teeth had stayed well away from Bailly’s neck.
Not that things calmed down in the moments after the game.
Following this, United made sure of the points as Antonio Valencia capitalised on a slip from Victor Valdes. After the full-time whistle was blown, cameras again picked up Bailly having to be held back by his teammates as he attempted to confront some of the Middlesbrough players in the tunnel.
Catch up with this week’s episode of 888Sport Football Friday Live
