Exclusive: PGMOL insider issues ban verdicts on Ryan Gravenberch and Emi Martinez
Keith Hackett has given his verdict on whether or not red cards should carry over to the next Premier League season.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the current suspension rules were down to the FA.
The Premier League’s final round of fixtures saw plenty of drama, especially in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
Chelsea qualified thanks to a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, whilst Newcastle snuck in despite losing 1-0 to Everton.
The Magpies’ place came at the cost of Villa, however, who were at the centre of a hugely controversial refereeing decision.
Morgan Rogers’ goal was disallowed by referee Thomas Bramall, blowing his whistle before the ball had hit the back of the net meaning VAR could not intervene.
During their loss to Man United, Martinez was sent off for a challenge on Rasmus Hojlund and his red card will cause even more headaches when next season begins.
Emi Martinez, Ryan Gravenberch set to miss start of Premier League season
Whilst Martinez’s sending off was part of the reason for Villa missing out on the Champions League, Gravenberch’s red against Crystal Palace was far less impactful.
Liverpool had already secured the Premier League title, making their game against the FA Cup holders nothing more than a formality.
However, both clubs will have to find alternatives to their star players for the first three games of next season.
The two suspensions will carry over to the 2025/26 campaign and both players will be a big miss for their respective sides, assuming Martinez does not leave Aston Villa this summer.
Keith Hackett reveals reason for carry-over of suspension
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former PGMOL chief Hackett highlighted the reason for suspensions carrying over to the next season.
He said: “You have a system in football where the Football Association are in control of the regulatory aspects of the game.
“They themselves say [whether] a red card is carried over and what’s interesting is that you can use the same logic [if the suspension should carry over] with preseason friendly games.
“Referees are instructed that they have to apply the laws in preseason friendlies; they can’t ignore and use the swap mechanism [a player being forced to be substituted if they are sent off] and if they’re actually sent off in a preseason friendly, they’re suspended.
“It might seem harsh, but the downside is, in the closing game of the season where players may try to bend the rules by getting a red card. They may just kick somebody in the air just to get sent off because they know it’s not going to affect them.
“It’ll affect the outcome of this game, but it’ll not affect the new season going forward.
“That’s why it’s there and I think it applies if I’m not mistaken, if Martinez was to leave the club and go to another club in Europe, he would still have to serve his suspension.
“I can tell you that when I used to officiate years ago, you get to around Christmas or you’re coming up to Christmas and you might get the odd players who say, ‘I don’t mind you giving me a yellow card’.
“They would say ‘give us a yellow card’ ref, and then they’d try and get a yellow card, and you do the opposite and not give it to them.
“They would get more and more frustrated asking ‘why don’t you give me a yellow card?’ and I’d go, well, it’s Christmas mate I’m looking at the game slightly differently, I’m being generous.
“They want to be off on Christmas and off in the summer, sitting off so they can have a few pies here and there and no doubt a few drinks too.”
At Anfield Dan Plumley revealed exclusively to Liverpool News that Arne Slot is set to oversee a “shake-up” at the club this summer.