Some Crystal Palace fans are fuming after Mamadou Sakho was sent off for the club in last night’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth at Selhurst Park in the Premier League.
The former Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain defender saw a straight red card within the first half an hour as Anthony Taylor gave him his marching orders. Palace had to play the rest of the game with ten men. Despite that, the Eagles went onto win the game as Jeffrey Schlupp won it for them in the second half (BBC).
Did Sakho deserve a red card?
Red all day long
Never a red!
The win helped Palace rise up to fifth in the table, ahead of the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United and Wolves.
Despite the win, some Palace fans are loathing the fact that Sakho was sent off.
20: Mamadou Sakho has been sent off. VAR should check this.
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 3, 2019
In the rules now it’s a red, game has gone soft, that wouldn’t have been a red two/three years ago. Will probably end up suiting palace having to play on the break.
— Jack Holden (@JackHolden2814) December 3, 2019
Not a red card seen worse this season and they have been let off. Son breaks a players’s ankle by accident, but still dangerous and get his red card overturned.
— Kim Louise Stevens (@KL_Stevens17) December 3, 2019
He clean won that ball never a red
— jaycpfc1969 (@jaycpfc1969) December 3, 2019
Never a red ref was so eager to go straight for the card total joke
— luke odlum (@lukeodlum) December 3, 2019
Hows that a red card? Useless ref an Var
— Tebatso Cameron (@TebatsoCameron) December 3, 2019
there was literally no point in the red!!!!
— Could Be A Palace Supporter (@LoverCassava) December 3, 2019
The game against Eddie Howe’s men was Sakho’s first start since September when he had started at centre-back against Wolves at home. The game saw the club hold Nuno Santo’s men to a 1-1 draw. But last night was Sakho’s second appearance in a row as he had featured in their win over Burnley at the weekend.
So far this season, Sakho has played in five games in the Premier League. Last season, the Frenchman had played 27 times in the league. Instead of him, Palace have relied on the centre-back pairing of James Tomkins and the experienced Gary Cahill, with Sakho now slowly coming back into the fold.
Last night was Sakho’s first red card since he came to the Premier League from PSG in the summer of 2013 along with Tiago Ilori for a combined fee of £25million.
What do we think?
Sakho clearly wanted to go for the ball when his foot hit Adam Smith. There was no malice in it and before VAR, it would not have been a red card. But fans have to accept that Sakho’s foot was high and it was right to send him off, even if he didn’t intend to tackle him.