26 November 2023 , 18:47
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Jeff Stelling questioned whether dissent and a "career threatening tackle" should warrant the same punishment, following Lewis Dunk's dismissal on Saturday.
Brighton centre-back Dunk appeared to have been shown a second yellow card for something he said in his team's win at Nottingham Forest. It later emerged, however, that the England international was given a straight red by referee Anthony Taylor for his protests after Brighton's opponents were awarded a penalty.
Not only was Dunk sent off, but he is expected to face a three-match ban for "personally abusive" language. Other players have been handed similar bans after challenges which have endangered opponents, and this appeared to be playing on Stelling's mind in the early hours of Sunday morning.
"A straight get red card for dissent?" the broadcaster asked on social media. "So the same as a career threatening tackle?"
One reply suggested it was important to know the exact nature of Dunk's language before reaching a decision on the punishment. "I am not advocating abuse of refs but they cannot be above criticism," former Soccer Saturday host Stelling said in response.
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"I think as you say it depends what was said. Surely a case for the ref to be mic’d up so we can hear what he is saying and what is being said to him. Just my view."
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Lewis Dunk was sent off as Brighton beat Nottingham Forest (MI News/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)Brighton were leading 3-1 at the time of the dismissal, with Evan Ferguson scoring their first goal and Joao Pedro hitting a double. Forest pulled a goal back as Morgan Gibbs-White scored from the penalty spot, but were unable to find an equaliser.
"Lewis is a good guy and maybe he made a mistake. He said sorry to everyone and we have to accept the referee’s decision," Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said after the game. "Dunk is a Brighton fan so we can understand his emotion and his mistake.”
There were other problems for the Seagulls, who lost Ansu Fati and Tariq Lamptey to injury during the victory. De Zerbi celebrated fiercely at the final whistle, and later explained his own antics.
“I want to explain my celebration," he said. "It wasn’t disrespectful towards my opponent, I live inside football so I know about these things but we are suffering a lot through injury.
"We have ten injuries and lost two more in the first half and we also suffered a red card. Without ten players injured for us to compete in the Europa League and the Premier League and to be seventh is a good achievement.”
The three points ensure Brighton will end the weekend eighth in the Premier League table. They briefly overtook Manchester United, only for Erik ten Hag's side to climb back above them with a victory at Everton on Sunday.