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Harry Maguire suspended by FA over misconduct against Bournemouth
02nd April, 2026 09:23 AM
England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been formally charged by the Football Association following his conduct after receiving a red card during Manchester United’s 2-2 stalemate with AFC Bournemouth on Friday, March 20, 2026.
The United centre-back was dismissed late in the match after officials ruled that he had illegally stopped Evanilson inside the penalty box, leading to a spot-kick in the Premier League encounter played last month.
Maguire’s reaction
After the decision was upheld through VAR review, Maguire reacted by challenging referee Stuart Attwell as well as fourth official Matt Donohue.
Bournemouth took advantage of the situation when Junior Kroupi converted the penalty, helping his side recover to secure a draw against the team managed by Michael Carrick.
In an official announcement, the FA confirmed that Maguire faces allegations of behaving inappropriately and possibly directing offensive or disrespectful language toward the fourth official following his sending-off. The governing body has given the defender until Thursday, April 2, 2026, to respond to the charge.
As it stands, Maguire is expected to serve a one-game suspension due to the red card, meaning he will miss United’s upcoming fixture against Leeds at Old Trafford on Monday, April 13, 2026. However, if the disciplinary action is increased, he could also be unavailable for the crucial away match against Chelsea scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2026.
That later fixture could significantly influence the race for UEFA Champions League places, with Manchester United currently sitting third on the table, holding a seven-point advantage over sixth-placed Chelsea.
Official protest
Meanwhile, United previously lodged an official protest with refereeing body PGMOL after the Bournemouth match, expressing frustration over a separate incident where they believed they should have been awarded another penalty. Club officials argued that a challenge on Amad Diallo inside the area went unpunished despite appearing similar to the foul that led to Bournemouth’s equaliser.
From United’s perspective, the tackle involving Maguire that resulted in Bournemouth’s second goal resembled an earlier incident involving Adrien Truffert on Diallo, which referees did not penalise.
