Millwall intend to contest the Football Association’s claim to give goalkeeper Liam Roberts a longer ban following his red-card challenge on Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie.
Roberts is facing a three-game ban after being shown a straight red card for what Palace chairman Steve Parish described as “the most reckless challenge I’ve ever seen” which saw Mateta discharged from hospital with 25 stitches in his left ear.
Ex-Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher shares his verdict on Liam Roberts’ red-card challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta
The FA confirmed on Wednesday it had submitted a claim seeking a longer ban for Roberts, stating the standard three-match sanction for serious foul play was “clearly insufficient” in this case.
Roberts has until Thursday to provide a response, the FA said, but Millwall intend to fight against any extended ban.
A club statement said: “Millwall Football Club acknowledges the FA’s statement and will continue to support Liam who has been subjected to horrendous online abuse since Saturday’s collision.”
Sections of the Millwall crowd could be heard applauding during the eighth minute of their match against Bristol City in apparent support of Roberts
Millwall supporters held a minute’s applause in solidarity with Roberts during Tuesday’s Championship match against Bristol City, at the same point in the match as when he had been sent off against Palace.
The case will be heard by an independent regulatory commission which will decide if the standard ban should not be imposed.
They will also determine the new punishment if the FA’s claim is successful. If it is unsuccessful, Roberts will serve the standard punishment.
The FA has previously had successful claims for longer bans, with Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic suspended for eight games in April 2023 after pushing referee Chris Kavanagh in an FA Cup loss at Manchester United.
In 2006, Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher was handed an eight-game ban for his challenge on Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes, which had left the midfielder in hospital after being knocked unconscious.
Ref Watch: ‘Roberts did not intend to hurt Mateta’
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher felt “justice was done” with the red card for Roberts but insisted he did not intend to hurt Mateta.
“There’s no doubt about it, it’s a red card,” he said on Ref Watch. “Justice was done because he was given a red card on the field and quite rightly so.”
He added: “The FA always has the power to increase a ban if it’s warranted.
“I was involved in the case with Ben Thatcher, when he smashed into Pedro Mendes, into the advertising boards, and the FA gave him an eight-game ban because they thought it was really, really bad.
“I think everyone would say this was bad, but what I would say in defence of Roberts is that I don’t think he meant for one second to hurt Mateta.
“I make that very clear. He’s raced out of his box very unwisely. He has panicked. He has got to get the ball.
“The other thing that didn’t go in his favour is that the ball is not on the ground, the ball is in the air, so he’s got to go with a high boot.
“He didn’t have to do it either, because if he had waited in his box there was a fair chance the ball would have come to him.
“But once he takes that action he’s completely mistimed it and got it wrong, and it’s a red card there’s no doubt.”
What happened to Mateta?
The incident came inside six minutes of Palace’s 3-1 win over Millwall at Selhurst Park when Mateta challenged for a high ball just outside the area and goalkeeper Roberts came out of his box, catching the Palace striker’s head with his high boot.
After a check of the pitchside monitor, referee Michael Oliver sent Roberts off, with Mateta receiving almost 10 minutes of medical attention on the field before being taken off.
The Frenchman was taken straight to hospital where he received “specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear”, Palace said in a statement as they confirmed scans were “all clear”.
“He will now rest and recuperate over the following days where his progress will be monitored by our club doctor,” the club added.
Mateta posted on Instagram, saying: “I’m doing well. I hope to be back soon and stronger than ever.”
Parish: The most reckless challenge I’ve ever seen
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish speaks to Sky Sports News about Mateta’s injury
In a somewhat unprecedented step, Palace chairman Parish gave an interview at half-time to discuss the incident.
“There’s a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge,” Parish told the BBC. “I’ve never seen a challenge like it… that’s the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I’ve ever seen.
“He needs to have a long, hard look at himself because he’s endangering a fellow professional with a challenge like that.
“And why the referee needs to go to the screen, I have no idea… If you’re kicking him in the head at full force, who knows what kind of damage could be done.”
However, speaking to Sky Sports News after the game, Parish struck a calmer tone, saying: “He’s got a really bad gash. I think his ear is almost in half. It’s a bad one but I’ve said what I’ve said.
“I wasn’t really angry [in his half-time interview], I hope I didn’t come across like that. I watch a lot of football and it was some challenge.
“You’ve got to assume the kid doesn’t mean it. I think he’s heated up, there’s a lot of pressure and he hasn’t played for them that much. I’m sure he’ll want to apologise and I heard he’s very upset himself.
“It was just a shocking challenge and at that time, I was very worried for JP. We still are slightly, but hopefully he’s OK.”
Neil rebuffs Parish: Not the worst challenge I’ve seen
Oliver Glasner and Alex Neil react to Roberts’ red card for his foul on Mateta
After the game, Millwall boss Alex Neil somewhat played down the incident, disagreeing that it was one of the worst challenges he had seen – but he also admitted he was yet to see it back.
He said: “I don’t think there’s any intent. Why would there have been? It’s the start of the game, the ball gets put in behind and he tries to get there.
“I certainly wouldn’t label it as the worst challenge I’ve seen. We don’t want the lad to be injured so naturally, we wish Mateta well and hope he’s back on the pitch soon.
“For me, it’s mistimed, he’s been sent off, he’s disappointed. We wish Mateta well and it’s nothing more than that for me.
“At the time when it happened, I didn’t know if he’d caught the lad or caught the ball because the ball seemed to go off in a strange angle.
“Unfortunately, [the screens] at the side of the dugout weren’t working, so we couldn’t really watch the incident back.
“I haven’t seen it back since but he’s mistimed it and got sent off, which at that stage of the game, makes the game doubly difficult for us. It was disappointing. He’s made a call and hasn’t quite got it right.”
Millwall ‘disgusted’ by Roberts abuse
Millwall have since released a statement regarding the reaction to Roberts’ tackle on Mateta, condemning the abuse the goalkeeper had received, adding they deplore the “character assassination” that had ensued.
“The club are disgusted by abuse directed towards goalkeeper Liam Roberts following Saturday’s unfortunate collision with Jean-Philippe Mateta,” a Millwall spokesperson said.
“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 onto 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.”
