Danny Murphy has ripped into Aston Villa goalkeeper Jed Steer after the first leg of the play-off semi-final against West Brom.
The talkSPORT pundit believes that Steer got Dwight Gayle sent off and dubbed him “pathetic” for rolling about on the ground after a collision between the two players.
Gayle was sent off after getting a second yellow card and he will now miss the second leg and the play-off final because of an accumulation suspension.
Talking on the Jim White Show (talkSPORT, Monday, 10am), Murphy didn’t mince his words when he was asked about the incident.
“The goalkeeper was pathetic, rolling about when he was hardly touched,” Murphy said.
“He [Gayle] didn’t do anything. He pulled out. He tried to move his leg out of the way, he moved his boot.”
Asked why he was given the yellow card Murphy said, “The goalkeeper rolling about and the noise from the crowd, he thought he’d done more than he had.
“There’s no way the referee looks back at that and says it’s a yellow card. He [Gayle] should play in the next game and if he doesn’t it’s a travesty.
“I hate it when referees guess and he guessed because of the rolling about from the silly keeper. The ref didn’t have a good game and he’s not very good anyway.”
OPINION
Say what you really think, Danny! The outspoken pundit is clear on where he stands on this issue and it’s a decision by the ref that could have a huge impact on the future of both clubs. We don’t think it was a sending off. Gayle clearly pulled out from the challenge and while he made contact it certainly wasn’t enough for Steer to react the way he did. Murphy said it would be a travesty if Gayle didn’t play in the next match and the play-off final should the Baggies progress, but that’s what’s going to happen. There’s no right of appeal for yellow card decisions and that means there’s nothing West Brom or Gayle can do. That’s something that should be looked at because it can lead to clear injustice, as it has in this case. West Brom only have Jay Rodriguez as a recognised striker now and have it all to do on Tuesday night.