Brighton boss Hughton: ‘It was a red card for Kyle Walker’

Brighton & Hove Independent – LONDON, Chris Hughton felt that Kyle Walker should’ve been shown a red card after his altercation with Alireza Jahanbakhsh in Brighton & Hove Albion’s 1-0 FA Cup semi-final loss against Manchester City this evening.

After going behind to an early Gabriel Jesus goal, Albion rallied and put City under serious pressure.

But on 31 minutes, a flash point occurred between the England right-back and the Seagulls’ Iranian winger.

Walker and Jahanbakhsh tussled as the City defender shepherded the ball out of play for a goal-kick.

Both fell to the ground and as the pair rose the Brighton wide-man shoved the Sky Blues’ number two in the back.

The pair then proceeded to square up to each other, with both locking heads. Walker appeared to attempt to headbutt Jahanbakhsh and the two received yellows from referee Anthony Taylor for the incident.

VAR was then called to see whether Walker’s caution should be upgraded but, after a lengthy and thorough check, the decision stood.

On the incident, Hughton said: “In my opinion, it was a red card.

“If I look at the action, which I have done, there would’ve been numerous circumstances where the same action would’ve got somebody a red card.

“I’m only giving my opinion and I’ve seen it on three or four occasions.

“We’re at the stage now where everybody is pushing for VAR. I’m probably the one that’s been converted a little bit.

“I’m even more disappointed that this was a VAR decision but everybody will have a different opinion.

“I think there was sufficient force in the action to warrant that.”

Despite this Hughton was proud of Jahanbakhsh for his honesty and for not making ‘a big meal’ out of the fracas with Walker

He added: “We ask players to be honest and Alireza doesn’t make a big meal of it.

“We certainly would’ve seen in the past players going down and clutching there heads, rolling on the floor, so I don’t think he makes a big deal of it.

“What Alireza did was the correct thing to do. I don’t think we can sit here and want the game to be a better game and expect your players to be any different.

“The action from Alireza was correct and it’s not Alireza’s responsibility to make the right decision. That’s down to the officials.”