Ex-Fifa official: Aleksandar Mitrovic and 22-year-old should get extended bans as Fulham footage emerges
Aleksandar Mitrovic and Morgan Gibbs-White should have both been sent off as Fulham drew 0-0 with Wolves on Saturday (13 August), according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed both were guilty of violent conduct as they clashed with each other at Molineux.
As shown on the BBC’s Match of the Day programme, Mitrovic brought Gibbs-White down in stoppage time at the end of the second half.
When Gibbs-White, 22, got up the pair knocked heads as they exchanged words.
Referee John Brooks showed them both yellow cards and VAR official Jarred Gillett did not feel the need to intervene.
A straight red card would have seen them both banned for their clubs for the next three games.
“Let me tell you, people might disagree here, those two players should have received red cards,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“They are both using their heads in the face of an opponent, when you do that, it’s a red card offence. They’re lucky to get away with it.
“With VAR, this should have been brought to the attention of the referee, there’s no question.
“When they move their head into the face or head of their opponent, this becomes an act of violent conduct. It might seem harsh but football players have to use their feet and their head for heading the ball, not their opponent.”
After an unbeaten start to the season, Fulham are next in action on Saturday (20 August) when they host Brentford in a west London derby.
Wolves’ next game is a trip to Tottenham on the same day.
In other news, Newcastle United have submitted a £20million bid for a striker who can be a Premier League sensation.