Sunday, December 22, 2024

Referee ’caused himself the problems’

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[PA Media]

The main talking point from Brighton‘s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest was Morgan Gibbs-White’s red card for the visitors late in the game.

Both managers were sent from the dugout in the aftermath of Gibbs-White being shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Joao Pedro.

On BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast, presenter Darren Fletcher said he thought Forest were so angry with the decision because referee Rob Jones had signalled Gibbs-White had played the ball, before then dismissing the midfielder.

“He’s either got to stick to it [his first decision] or they [referees] have got to be told not to be so rash,” said ex-England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

“He does get the ball, but it’s the force he goes with and the pace of the tackle where he catches the player and you can understand why the card has been given.

“It’s one of those: you can understand both arguments, but the referee has caused himself the problems by running over there and initially making the shape of the ball. Then, that’s when everything’s gone off because the Forest manager is immediately thinking ‘the referee’s told me he’s got the ball and now he’s sent him off, how can that be right?'”

Former Aston Villa and West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker said: “As a referee, you’ve got to stick to what you did and he did the ball sign.

“When he changed his mind, I knew instantly this is going to be what this whole game is going to be spoken about. We had a brilliant game of football but again we’re going to be talking about a refereeing decision.”

Listen to more reaction to Sunday’s games on BBC Sounds

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