The Football Association (FA) are looking to extend the suspension given to Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts for his challenge on Crystal Palace striker Jean-Phillipe Mateta.
Roberts was given a straight red card after his left boot connected with Mateta’s head while attempting to make a leaping clearance early in the FA Cup fifth round clash between the south London rivals on Saturday.
Referee Michael Oliver did not initially award a foul, but the video assistant referee (VAR) recommended that Oliver review the incident, with Roberts subsequently being sent off in the sixth minute.
Mateta was given oxygen on the pitch before being taken off on a stretcher from the field of play in a neck brace and being directly taken to an ambulance. The 27-year-old was taken to St George’s hospital and was discharged later that day after “receiving specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear,” according to Palace.
The FA has confirmed that it has submitted a claim seeking to increase Roberts’ ban.
“The FA claims that in the circumstances the standard punishment for this offence is clearly insufficient,” it said in a statement.
The standard punishment for serious foul play is a three-match suspension. Roberts has until Thursday to provide a response.
Mateta was taken from the field on a stretcher (Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images)
The 30-year-old’s challenge was condemned by Palace chairman Steve Parish at half-time.
“There’s a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge, I’ve never seen a challenge like it in football,” Parish told BBC Sport. “The goalkeeper is 30 years old, and that is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I have ever seen.
“He needs to have a long hard look at himself, that lad, because he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life, with a challenge like that. It was just a terrible, terrible challenge.”
Millwall manager Alex Neil said he believes there was no “intent” from his goalkeeper to hurt Mateta.
“I think the ball went in behind, Liam Roberts has come out which he has done in many games he’s played,” Neil told BBC Sport. “He’s misjudged it and caught the lad. He has mistimed it, he got sent off which at that stage made the game doubly difficult for us.
“I don’t think it is meant. I don’t think there is any intent, why would there be intent? We don’t want the lad to be injured. We wish him well and hope he is back on the pitch soon. It was a mistiming, he was sent off, he is disappointed and will hope Mateta is fine, which we all do.”
Millwall later released a statement of their own after Roberts was subjected to abuse online.
“The club are disgusted by abuse directed towards goalkeeper Liam Roberts following Saturday’s unfortunate collision with Jean-Philippe Mateta,” a statement read.
“The reporting on the matter, as well as disgraceful suggestions made by certain news organisations and high-profile figures within the sport that Liam intended to harm Jean-Philippe, has contributed to the unwarranted character assassination of Liam and fuelled abhorrent online abuse towards him.
“No player at Millwall Football Club steps on to the pitch with the intent to harm another, and the club will continue to support Liam, who reached out to Jean-Philippe personally on Saturday evening with an apology which was accepted immediately.
“The club are pleased to hear positive updates from Jean-Philippe and wish him the best in his recovery.”
GO DEEPER
The shocking challenge on Mateta that ‘endangered’ the striker’s life
(Top photo: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
