FA Cup

JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA is in hospital with a “serious” gash behind his ear after a shocking kung-fu kick from Millwall’s goalkeeper who saw red.Just six minutes were on the clock in the South London derby FA Cup fifth-round clash when Crystal Palace’s Will Hughes played a superb long pass up the field. Liam Roberts was sent off for his awful challenge on Jean-Philippe MatetaCredit: ReutersThe goalkeeper came flying out of his penalty area to clear the ballCredit: BBCHis left boot caught Mateta in the headCredit: ReutersPlay was delayed by approximately ten minutesCredit: BBCMateta and Millwall centre-back Jake Cooper tussled for the bouncing ball.But Lions goalkeeper Roberts came rushing out of his box.The 30-year-old did appear to win a part of the ball.But he then clattered into Mateta with his stray left boot, catching him in the head with his studs and opening a nasty gash behind the ear of the striker.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLRef Michael Oliver initially allowed play to continue with Palace still on the attack but once the shot was headed away, he stopped the game.To start with, Roberts escaped without a red card and was permitted to stay on the field but then Oliver was sent to the pitchside VAR monitor to watch a replay.He decided to overturn his original decision and announced the sending off over the in-stadium tannoy before brandishing the red card.Mateta stayed down for several minutes as he was treated by the medics on the Selhurst Park pitch while distressed team-mates watched on.Most read in FA CupAfter nearly ten minutes on the ground, he was carried off on a stretcher to the corner of the stadium where an ambulance was waiting to take him to hospital. The French striker received oxygen as he was taken away.Taiwo Awoniyi left with blood pouring from his face after horror clash with Exeter ace in Forest’s FA Cup frustrationFurious Palace co-owner Steve Parish at half-time revealed Mateta had suffered a “bad gash behind his ear”.Manager Oliver Glasner later said: “He’s at hospital now and he has a serious ear injury but the fingers are crossed that it’s not too serious.”He will definitely miss the Ipswich game but I still hope that he is available for the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at the end of March.Eddie Nketiah came on in Mateta’s place in a concussion substitute – meaning Palace still had their allocated five subs.Millwall were also forced into a tactical change as Lions No1 Lukas Jensen came on between the sticks – with Luke Cundle sacrificed by Alex Neil. Messages of support flooded in for Mateta as the seriousness of the situation unfolded.One said: “So horrible to see. Get well soon Big Man.”Another wrote: “Wishing Jean-Philippe Mateta a quick recovery after the injury.”A third added: “Prayers for Mateta.”And a fourth typed: “Absolutely disgusting challenge. I hope Mateta is ok.”‘HORRIFIC CHALLENGE… TERRIBLE’Palace chairman Parish was shown on the TV cameras looking distressed and shaking his head in concern.The BBC commentator also condemned the visiting Millwall fans who sickeningly chanted “let him die” as Mateta received treatment.He said: “Millwall fans are not endearing themselves to anyone with their chants about Mateta. The club could be revisited about that.”However, it is understood the Den club will escape punishment for the tasteless chanting because it did not breach FA regulations. Nketiah thought he had given Palace the lead soon after the match restarted but it was chalked out for handball.Japhet Tanganga headed into his own net on 33 minutes and it was 2-0 seven minutes later when Daniel Munoz pounced.The goal was initially ruled out for offside but then it became clear the ball came off Tanganga and fell to Munoz. A whopping 13 minutes of injury time were added at the end of the first half following the lengthy stoppage – with Millwall pulling one back as the clock hit the 58-minute mark before the break.Nketiah rounded off the 3-1 victory to book Palace’s place in the quarter-finals – but all of the talk was about his stricken team-mate.At half-time, an emotional Parish lambasted the “terrible, terrible” foul and gave an update on Mateta’s injury.He told the BBC: “So far what we know is he’s got a bad gash behind his ear and a head injury. He’s at the hospital so we hope for the best.”There’s a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge. That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I’ve ever seen… he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life, with a challenge like that. Steve Parish”In all the time I’ve watched football, I’ve never seen a challenge like it.”I looked to see how old the keeper is, he’s 30 years old. That is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen and he needs to have a long, hard look at himself that lad because he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life, with a challenge like that. “That goalkeeper hasn’t shown a duty of care to another professional. “Someone mentioned there was one in the 1982 World Cup like it but it’s a dreadful challenge and why the referee needs to go the screen, I’ve no idea. “Forget about him being a football player, he is a human being. That is not a normal challenge. “If you’re kicking someone in the head with the full force, God knows what damage has been done to him. “It’s very difficult for me to talk about the rest of the game because we’re worried about JP in hospital. It’s just a terrible, terrible challenge.”Pundits Troy Deeney and Glenn Murray also weighed in with their thoughts from the Selhurst Park studio.Deeney said: “It’s a horrific challenge, terrible. The occasion got to him, he was keen to make a good start, unfortunately he got that one really wrong.”I just think the state of referring now, they are falling back on VAR. It doesn’t matter if they make the decision because VAR will pull it back. “Michael Oliver is probably the best ref we’ve got, I would prefer he made a decision then VAR say, ‘You got that one wrong,’ as opposed to now they don’t make decisions and just wait for VAR to help out.Michael Oliver overturned his decision to give a red cardCredit: BBCThe referee announced his decision over the tannoyCredit: GettySteve Parish was emotional as he gave an update at half-timeCredit: BBC”The thing is he didn’t stop it. Normally for a head injury, you would blow the whistle straight away to get him checked. “He played on, didn’t stop it and from Michael Oliver’s point of view, it’s like he thinks he clears it and it’s just a coming together.”Murray added: “This is not a nice challenge. The way Liam Rovert comes out, yes he gets first contact but he’s very much protecting himself and you can see the impact on Mateta.”I think he catches his temple with his studs. It’s a really nasty one and a massive worry for Crystal Palace going forward.”Palace manager Oliver Glasner struggled to enjoy the victory amid the uncertainty over his star man.The Austrian said: “He is in hospital. Has a serious ear injury. “I couldn’t see it live. I didn’t want to see it after the game. I don’t want to catch the injury. I watched it because I knew I had to talk about it. “It was a very serious foul play. It’s tough to see. I don’t want to watch it again. “Imagine it could have ended his career. The goalkeeper didn’t want to make such a challenge but his decision to make the challenge was wrong. “I believe in fair play and all sportsmen don’t want to injure another. His decision with his foot with this intensity was wrong.”Millwall boss Alex Neil defended his player’s actions – despite not watching the incident back.He said: “He’s misjudged it and caught the lad. He has mistimed it. “”I don’t think it is meant. I don’t think there is any intent, why would there be intent? “We don’t want the lad to be injured. We wish him well and hope he is back on the pitch soon. “It was a mistiming, he was sent off, he is disappointed and will hope Mateta is fine, which we all do.”Medics carried Mateta off the Selhurst Park pitchCredit: PAThe ambulance was waiting at the corner of the groundCredit: BBCParish’s fury was clear to see as he reenacted the shocking foul in the standsCredit: BBCPalace boss Oliver Glasner was left horrified by the injury, saying: “I didn’t want to watch the injury. “I watched it because I knew I had to talk about it. It was a very serious foul play. It’s tough to see. “I don’t want to watch it again. Imagine it could have ended his career. READ MORE SUN STORIES”He didn’t want to make such a challenge but his decision to make the challenge was wrong. “I believe in fair play and all sportsmen don’t want to injure another. His decision with his foot with this intensity was wrong.” More

MARCO ASENSIO has won 17 major honours with Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain.But the Spaniard only has one Spanish and one French Cup to show for his efforts.Marco Asensio was the man of the hour as Aston Villa beat Cardiff 2-0Credit: PAVilla have now booked a place in the quarter-finalsCredit: GettyHowever he set himself up for a crack at a unique hat-trick at Wembley in May by firing the double which sent Aston Villa into their first FA Cup quarter-final since 2015.With a little help from another FA Cup newcomer… semi-automated offside technology!The new high-tec system was a hit as it swiftly decided Marcus Rashford was marginally ONSIDE in the build up to Asensio’s breakthrough goal after 68 minutes.Youri Tielemans’ clever chip sprang the former Manchester United man who was playing on the shoulder of a Cardiff defender.Read More in FootballAnd when Rashford squared the ball, Asensio swept the ball past Ethan Horvath to finally break the Bluebirds resistance.Normally we might have spent five minutes waiting for blue and red lines to be drawn and scrutinised.Here the job was done in seconds – and so were Cardiff – when Asensio added a second 12 minutes later to finally bury the Welsh club.There was a sense of “Friends Reunited,” prior to kick-off with plenty of connections between both clubs.Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSVilla played a classy tribute to their former striker and ex-Bluebird Peter Whittingham on their giant video screens before the teams emerged.And there was a banner raised to remember the popular forward who tragically died aged just 35 in March 2020 after suffering a fatal head injury in a fall.Ruben Amorim brings up Marcus Rashford as he vows to talk to Garnacho after Man Utd star stormed down tunnelTwo former Villans, Anwar El Ghazi and Callum Robinson led Cardiff out, with El Ghazi’s two sons among the mascots.There was also a reunion with Villa for Cardiff midfielder Aaron Ramsey – a decade after he was part of the Arsenal team who thumped Villa 4-0 in the 2015 FA Cup final.Unai Emery wasn’t messing about as he fielded close to his the strongest side, starting with fit-again Emi Martinez in goal.But despite boasting a front four of Bailey, Asensio, Rashford and Watkins, Villa found it hard to break through Omer Riza’s thin blue line.Rashford whipped a free kick over the Cardiff wall but it sailed into the waiting gloves of stand-in goalie Ethan Horvath.The American goalie then fielded a curling effort from John McGinn before Rashford had a clean air swipe at the ball after Youri Tielemans picked him out from a corner-kick routine.Ollie Watkins timed his run to perfection to get on the end of Asensio’s slide rule pass but his poked effort was touched fractionally wide by Horvath.Ramsey hurled himself in front of Tielemans to block the Belgian in front of goal before the Bluebirds broke upfield to create a bit of FA Cup history.As El Ghazi burst into the box Ian Maatsen barged him to the ground with a good old-fashioned shoulder-charge.No fewer than THREE VAR assistants, Robert Jones, Darren England and “Additional Video Assistant Referee,” Paul Howard (no, me neither) were poised to review it.Until the semi-automated offside system kicked in and judged the Dutchman as offside.Fortunately the players are not automated… yet… because if they were Villa would have been four or five up by half-time.Instead, Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins went in at the break, red-faced, following a couple of embarrassing misses.Bailey had just been denied an opener when his ferocious volley was brilliantly turned over by Horvath when he turned provider.The Jamaican international got round Cardiff’s back five and took Horvath out with a fiercely hit cut-back.Rashford was unmarked three yards from goal but failed to get his footwork right and somehow fired over the gaping net.He will argue the ball arrived slightly behind him but it was a chance a player of his quality would expect to gobble up 99 times out of 100.Not to be outdone, Watkins also missed a snip.He ran onto a Rashford header, only to poke his shot off Horvath’s chest from point-blank range with the goal at his mercy.In fact Cardiff were unlucky not to win a penalty when Lamare Bogarde clipped Perry Ng’s boot to send him tumbling in the box.But the one-way traffic continued after the break with Horvath producing a couple of wonder saves to defy McGinn and Rashford.READ MORE SUN STORIESCardiff had brought Yousef Salech on for the injured Robinson and the sub managed Cardiff’s only shot on target after 66 minutes, forcing Emi Martinez into a fine save low to his left.Ninety seconds later Asensio struck to cement his love-affair with Villa fans on a night when he doubled his tally to four goals since arriving on loan in January. More