Something is wrong with our referees when VAR is needed to show red card for ‘life-threatening’ tackle on Mateta
SOMETHING is not right with our officials at the moment.
Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ first-half challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta was a clear red card for serious foul play.
The Crystal Palace striker was kicked in the head and it was an obvious instance of endangering a player’s safety with excessive force and/or brutality.
Yet, referee Michael Oliver did not even show a yellow card.
We had to wait for VAR to intervene and recommend a review.
Even then, it took more than TWO MINUTES for a decision to be made.
It seems that the officials on the pitch are relying too much on VAR at the moment — for me, that is not refereeing.
I can only conclude that Michael did not realise at the time just how dangerous the challenge was.
He has been our best referee but he seems to be lacking in confidence at the moment.
And that happens with players AND referees.
His incorrect red card for Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly at Wolves in January was rightly overturned.
At Selhurst Park yesterday, a three-man VAR team led by Nick Hopton — who is not a Premier League referee — made sure that the correct decision was made in the end.
But why did it take them so long? Even in real time, that was a clear red card.
It reminded me of the challenge by West Germany goalkeeper Harald Schumacher that left Patrick Battiston of France badly hurt in the 1982 World Cup.
What on earth was the Millwall goalkeeper thinking, rushing out like that?
Players have a duty of care towards their fellow professionals, and Mateta’s safety was certainly endangered.
Palace chairman Steve Parish rightly didn’t mince his words on the tackle, saying: “That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen.
“And he needs to have a long, hard look at himself that lad.
“Because he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life, with a challenge like that.
it’s a dreadful challenge and why the referee needs to go the screen, I’ve no idea.
“Forget about him being a football player, he is a human being. That is not a normal challenge.
“If you’re kicking someone in the head with the full force, God knows what damage has been done to him.”