Jack Grealish Keane red card: Everton vs Wolves Premier League chaos as two players shown red cards
There was mid-week Premier League chaos on Wednesday night as two Everton players were shown red cards in their match against Wolves.
Everton manager David Moyes was furious at the “ridiculous” decision which saw Michael Keane sent off for pulling the hair of Wolves’ Tolu Arokodare in a 1-1 draw. Goalscorer Keane was shown a red card after tugging at the striker’s long hair in an aerial challenge in the 83rd minute.
Jack Grealish was then dismissed after two yellow cards – his first Premier League red card – for dissent within three minutes, the second when he sarcastically applauded referee Tom Kirk, officiating in only his second top-flight game. “It is not violent, it is not forceful and it is not deliberate so all of those things I have said mean it shouldn’t have been a red card,” Moyes said after his team missed the chance to move to within three points of fourth place.
He added: “It is not violent, it is not forceful and it is not deliberate so all of those things I have said mean it shouldn’t have been a red card. I think it was a really poor decision to send him to the screen in the first place. (Marc) Cucurella got his hair pulled (by Joao Neves in the Club World Cup final) – violent conduct, a deliberate action, no problem with that.
“But this was in the game, on a ball coming up and unless you have played the game you might not understand. I have been a centre-half and there is no way I am jumping to out-jump a big centre-forward and think ‘By the way I am going to out-jump him and at the same time I am going to pull his hair’. I don’t know anyone on the planet who is good enough to think that way when they are jumping up.
“I thought it was a ridiculous decision by the referee but more by VAR. I thought the ridiculous bit came from VAR.
“It can’t be violent conduct for that. I just can’t see how that warrants a sending-off. Why would that be a red card and we’re letting other things go. Ridiculous. Hopeless”
Moyes was less vocal on Grealish’s loss of composure, which will further deplete his already thin resources with Keane now banned for three matches. Asked whether it was something he needed to address, not only with the player but the rest of the squad, he added: “Already have done.”
Wolves boss Rob Edwards said: “How the game ended with them being down to nine men, I was disappointed we didn’t capitalise more. We didn’t work them enough. We probably played into their hands.”