Keane defends Nigerian’s dismissal - Punch Newspapers

Manchester United great Roy Keane has led the defence of Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi following his controversial red card during Coventry City’s 5-0 Premier League defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. Awoniyi was sent off in the second half after an aerial challenge with Maxim De Cuyper, with his arm making contact with the Brighton defender’s face. Referee Tony Harrington issued a straight red card for violent conduct, and the decision was upheld after a video review. The dismissal left Coventry with 10 men, and Brighton went on to complete a comprehensive victory that leaves Frank Lampard’s side bottom of the Premier League table without a point or a goal after four matches. Analysing the incident on Sky Sports, Keane described the dismissal as severe but suggested Awoniyi’s own actions had put him in a vulnerable position. “I think the red card is a tough one. Awoniyi has raised his elbow as he is waiting for the Brighton player coming in, but was it a real swing? I do not know,” Keane said. “I think it is harsh, but you have to ask Awoniyi, did you give the referee an opportunity to send you off today? The answer is yes.” The comments come at the end of a weekend in which refereeing decisions across the Premier League have come under intense scrutiny. Bassey’s brilliance puts Fulham captain on Inter radar Blackburn coach opens up on Alebiosu illness “Onuachu bigger threat than Salah” Keane was also among those to criticise officials after Manchester City’s controversial 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, in a match that saw City play more than half the game with 10 men following Phil Foden’s early red card. City went on to win through an Erling Haaland strike that was initially ruled out for offside before being allowed to stand on review, a decision that Professional Game Referees, the body responsible for refereeing in English football, later admitted was an error of judgement. Michael Carrick, the United manager, along with club legends Keane and Gary Neville, publicly voiced their frustration at the decision, while defender Lisandro Martinez described it as an injustice. Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer also came to the Nigerian’s support and questioned whether Awoniyi deserved to be dismissed at all, arguing that the contact with De Cuyper did not necessarily mean the Nigerian had deliberately used his arm as a weapon. “I have watched it a few times, and I am still trying to understand what Awoniyi is supposed to have done differently. Two players are competing for the ball. He jumps, his arm comes up naturally and catches De Cuyper. There is contact. Nobody is denying that. But contact with somebody’s face cannot automatically mean violent conduct,” Shearer said. The 56-year-old, the Premier League’s record goalscorer, also questioned why the referee did not immediately produce a red card before the decision was reviewed. “What makes this one stranger is the referee did not immediately reach for a red card. So you think, okay, they will have another look at it. They have the benefit of different angles, slow motion, people watching it upstairs, plenty of time to decide whether Awoniyi has deliberately elbowed somebody. And after all that, somehow they come back with the most severe possible decision,” he added, insisting the key question should have been whether Awoniyi deliberately attempted to strike De Cuyper rather than whether contact merely occurred. Awoniyi now faces a three-match suspension that will rule him out of Coventry’s Carabao Cup clash with Aston Villa and Premier League matches against his former club, Nottingham Forest, and Newcastle United. Peter Akinbo Peter, who has been covering sports for PUNCH for close to two years, focuses on combat sports reporting, special features and human angle stories

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