Millwall boss Alex Neil fired back at Crystal Palace chief Steve Parish after he labelled Liam Roberts’ challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta the ‘worst he has ever has seen’. The Scot put up a strong defence for his goalkeeper, who was shown a red card in the eighth minute of the FA Cup fifth-round tie at Selhurst Park after referee Michael Oliver chose to overturn his on-field decision with the use of VAR. Roberts came charging off his line to clear the ball, but accidentally caught Mateta in the face with a reckless challenge – leaving the official no option but to dismiss the 30-year-old stopper.
Parish was left furious with the challenge from Roberts after watching the incident unfold from the stands and described it as the ‘worst challenge ever’ in his entire career working in football. But Neil hit back at the Palace supremo, insisting that Roberts meant no harm with his challenge and dismissed the challenge itself as anything outside the norm of what happens during a football match.
“I think the ball’s gone in behind, Liam’s come out which he’s done in many games he’s played. I think he’s misjudged it, he’s caught the lad [Mateta],” Neil said to BBC Sport. “I must be honest, at the time when it happened, I didn’t know if he caught the lad or caught the ball, because the ball went off at a strange angle.
“They’ve obviously watched it back on VAR, unfortunately the screen in the dugout wasn’t working so I couldn’t watch it back, I haven’t seen it back since. He’s mistimed it, he’s been sent off, which at that stage makes the game doubly difficult for us. Yeah, it was disappointing. He’s made a call and he’s just not quite got it right.”
When told about Parish’s comments, Neil said: “The first challenge? I don’t think it’s meant. I don’t think there’s any intent, of course not. Why would there be any intent? It’s the start of the game. The ball gets put in behind and he’s just trying to get there. I certainly wouldn’t label it the worst challenge I’ve seen.”
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