MIKE DEAN has torn into Kalvin Phillips following his red card against Nottingham Forest.
The West Ham loanee was sent off for picking up two yellow cards in as many minutes.
The Hammers’ awful 2024 continued at the City Ground as they went down to Nuno Espirito Santo’s relegation threatened side 2-0.
To make matters worse, David Moyes will be without Phillips, 28, for their next game, as he was dismissed in the 71st minute.
The midfielder was cautioned for an altercation with Nicolas Dominguez, only to be given his marching orders for catching Morgan Gibbs-White moments later.
Dean, 55, bizarrely slammed Phillips as he suggested that he does not look “interested” in playing for the Hammers.
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The former Premier League referee suggested that the England international is “wasting his time”.
On Sky Sports, he said: “He has just been cautioned for getting involved with Dominguez for no reason whatsoever.
“Two minutes later he has caught him [Gibbs-White] on top of the foot, stupid second yellow card.
“He’s just wasting his time playing. He doesn’t even look interested to me.”
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Phillips will now miss West Ham’s next Premier League game against Brentford.
Since signing on loan from Manchester City the midfielder has struggled to recapture his best form.
He was at fault for goals in the draw against Bournemouth and the loss against Manchester United.
The Hammers have failed to win a game since the turn of the year and have fallen out of contention to qualify for European football next season.
Phillips had been hoping that his move to the London Stadium would have helped him earn a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.
The former Leeds star will need to come back from his suspension much improved if he is to force himself into the conversation.
His long-term future appears to be away from West Ham, as the club has identified Middlesborough star Hayden Hackney as his replacement in the summer transfer window.
Moyes’ position as manager has also come under threat with his contract expiring at the end of the season.
Supporters have started to lose patience with the Conference League-winning manager’s style of football and are looking for change.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
