Some Southampton fans have been left to fume at a video of Jack Cork’s foul on James Ward-Prowse in the club’s recent Premier League meeting against Burnley.
The Saints fell to a 2-1 defeat to the Clarets at the weekend, despite Danny Ings equalising after Ashley Westwood’s early goal. A 60th-minute winner from Matej Vydra gave Sean Dyche’s men all three points at St. Mary’s.
But one moment from the game saw Cork make a challenge from behind on Ward-Prowse and he didn’t even get a yellow card for it. A video of the tackle went viral on social media when a Saints fan posted it on Twitter, leaving many Southampton fans fuming.
Did Cork deserve a red card against Southampton?
Yes, it was reckless
Wasn't that bad a tackle
VAR didn’t even take a look, watching live I literally went “that’s a red card” and he didn’t get booked
— samuel(@samharrisonnnn) February 15, 2020
By the letter of the law that’s a scissors tackle and probably should be a red card. To not give a yellow is horrendous refereeing
— Tom Forder (@tomforder69) February 16, 2020
quite possibly a red
— Stuart Hack (@HackStuart) February 15, 2020
Worst ref I have ever seen
— JGMorgan (@J_8998) February 15, 2020
Disgraceful
— Together as One (@pennycotton0) February 15, 2020
The ref was either incompetent or biassed and probably both. VAR as always didn’t appear to help. We didn’t help ourselves today but when things like this go against you it’s hard…..
— Murray Smith (@LingwoodMurray) February 15, 2020
They’re trying to get us relegated so their little darling Liverpool can buy all our players on the cheap
— Raziel(@Drexl_Raz) February 15, 2020
As per Transfermarkt, Burnley are one of three teams in the Premier League (alongside Chelsea and Manchester United) not to receive a single red card this season. They have picked up a total of 46 yellow cards, but are yet to go down to 10 men during this campaign.
As for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men, they have picked up a total of 39 yellow cards and two red cards. They find themselves at eighth in Transfermarkt’s fairplay table, picking up 47 points – only one point more than Dyche’s men.
What do we think?
Southampton fans have every right to be livid about the decision but there is no point in harking back to it. They could still be in the relegation battle and the club’s focus should be on more pressing matters instead of controversial issues from previous games.