Ian Wright has been speaking on the latest edition of Match of the Day about West Ham United’s 0-0 draw with Fulham.
There wasn’t a lot for Wright to get his teeth into regarding this game other than the red card that Mike Dean handed to Tomas Soucek in stoppage time.
The Czech Republic international was sent off when he raised his arm to escape Aleksandar Mitrovic’s attention before a free-kick.
He then accidentally brushed Mitrovic’s face with his elbow, and after a long look at the VAR monitor, Dean sent Soucek off, despite Mitrovic defending the 25-year-old.
This decision clearly infuriated Wright.
He said: (1:07:25) “There’s no debate. This is the worst decision I have ever seen.
“He’s tried to move his arm, you know when they hold you at a corner, you’re just moving your arm.”
Was this a red card?
No, not a chance
Yes, it was reckless
TIF Thoughts on Soucek’s red card…
We think it is baffling that the 25-year-old was sent off for this incident and it is no surprise that the Hammers have appealed the decision.
During the episode, Gary Lineker read out the criteria for a showing a red card and this incident involving Soucek didn’t meet any of those criteria, so why he was sent off, we will never know.
Ian Wright has been involved in football for many, many years so for him to call it “the worst decision I have ever seen” just shows how bold he is in his conviction that Dean made a huge, huge error.
West Ham will be hoping that they will win their appeal because if not, they will be without their top goalscorer for the next three games.
Soucek has been in sublime form this season, earning an average rating of 7.4, which ranks him in second place in West Ham’s squad.
This shows just how important he is to the Hammers, and we feel that his red card has to be overturned because it was ridiculous that he was sent off in the first place.