Sky Sports pundit fumes at ‘madness’ of startling red card stat vs Everton after Fulham clash
We’re delighted to welcome former Everton striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week the former Toffees captain will be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Goodison Park…
Aleksandar Mitrovic being the latest Everton opponent to escape a sending off is “madness” according to former captain Kevin Campbell.
The Fulham striker was booked in the goalless draw at Craven Cottage at the weekend (29 October) for a challenge on Idrissa Gueye that could easily have seen red, stretching the number of days since a Toffees opponent was sent off to 770.
Sky Sports pundit Campbell finds it incredible that it has been well over two years since Kieran Gibbs was dismissed for West Brom on 19 September 2020, and is certain that a red would have been produced if the roles were reversed this time around.
Speaking exclusively Goodison News he said: “One thing I will say, I’m not one for going for the reputation of the player. You’ve got to look at every incident as is.
“What we saw there, I have seen players given a red card for that type of challenge previously.
“So again, here we are discussing VAR again. We don’t know what’s a sending off or what isn’t, it’s the interpretation etc.
“But that was a dangerous challenge, let’s be honest.
“I heard, ‘He was going for the ball’. But that’s not the issue. He’s going for the ball and he’s late, and it’s way up the leg.
“That to me could have been a red card, and probably should have been a red card, but again it’s not given.
“Everton fans don’t know what to do because is it something like 900 days where no team has had a red card against them?
“This is madness!”
Had it been the other way round would the Everton player get a red? “Without a shadow of a doubt, he’s gone. And this is what’s wrong.”
The odd VAR decision has gone in the club’s favour recently this season to prove that it is possible for Everton to get the benefit of the doubt at times.
But the red card statistic is startling, and fans will continue to think back to the video-assisted dismissal of Allan last season (17 March), which Frank Lampard cited following the Fulham draw.
For Mitrovic to follow Virgil van Dijk in somehow escaping reds for challenges that appear nailed on to get them sent off this season, despite events elsewhere making the decisions absolutely glaring, will have the manager and the fans tearing their hair out wondering just quite what is going on.