Former Brentford captain Pontus Jansson has slammed the “absurd” red card decision that saw Christian Norgaard sent off in their 0-0 draw against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Norgaard was given his marching orders after a VAR review for a challenge on Jordan Pickford in the first half. However, Jansson believes the decision was harsh and has criticized the referee for making a “huge mistake”.
“It’s absurd, it’s a joke,” Jansson said in a post-match interview. “I don’t think it’s a red card, I think it’s a yellow card at most. Christian didn’t mean to hurt Pickford, he slipped and it was an accident.
“I think the referee was too quick to make the decision. He didn’t even take the time to look at the replay properly. It’s a huge mistake, and it cost us the game.”
Brentford manager Thomas Frank also expressed his disappointment with the decision, saying that Norgaard’s challenge was not intentional.
“I think it’s a very harsh decision,” Frank said. “Christian is a very fair player, and he didn’t mean to hurt Pickford. I think the referee made a huge mistake.
“We’re disappointed with the decision, but we can’t change it now. We just have to move on and focus on our next game.”
The red card decision sparked a heated debate, with many pundits and fans taking to social media to express their opinions. While some agreed with the referee’s decision, others felt that it was harsh and that Norgaard had slipped and didn’t intentionally foul Pickford.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean defended the referee’s decision, saying that Norgaard’s challenge was “endangering the safety of an opponent”.
However, Jansson and Frank’s comments suggest that there is still a lot of controversy surrounding the decision.
“I think the referee got it wrong,” said former Everton player and pundit, Andy Gray. “Norgaard slipped, and it was an accident. I don’t think it was a red card offense.”
Despite the setback, Brentford can take heart from their resilient performance against Everton. The Bees defended valiantly with 10 men and could have even snatched a win if Yoane Wissa’s late effort had gone in.
As for Norgaard, he will miss Brentford’s next match through suspension, leaving Frank with a selection headache. However, Jansson is confident that the team can bounce back from the setback and continue their good form.
“We’re a strong team, and we can handle setbacks like this,” Jansson said. “We’ll just have to move on and focus on our next game. We’ll be ready to go again, and we’ll be looking to get back to winning ways.”
