Aston Villa news: Ex-Premier League referee’s verdict on Tyrone Mings deserving extended ban after analysing footage
The referee was right to award Tyrone Mings a yellow card for his challenge on Bukayo Saka as Aston Villa fell to a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday (19 March), according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed Mings’ challenge was reckless but did not endanger the safety of Saka.
In the 33rd minute, the 29-year-old had to lunge to reach a poor pass from his teammate and caught Saka after he won the ball.
The Arsenal forward revealed to BT Sport after the game he asked referee Andrew Madley for more protection as he was being targetted by Villa.
A red card for Mings would have seen him banned for his side’s next Premier League games – a trip to Wolves and home games with Tottenham and Liverpool.
Asked whether the defender should have been sent off for his challenge on his England colleague, Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “I’m happy with the decision made.
“This is a yellow card offence. The reason is, it comes under the banner of reckless.
“It doesn’t endanger the safety of his opponent and that’s because he is in contact with the ground and he can actually control the speed of his slide.
“I’m clear, it fulfils the laws for a yellow but it doesn’t fulfil the laws on endangering the safety of an opponent. There’s not the malice that you expect to see in a challenge of that nature.”
Mings has missed just two Premier League games for Villa this term.
He was made club captain in the summer after Jack Grealish was sold to Man City.
In other news, Arsenal can expect an FA charge after controversial Aston Villa footage is analysed.