Mason Holgate produced one of the worst challenges you’re likely to see in Sheffield United’s hammering by Brighton on Sunday.
The Blades’ Premier League struggles worsened as they conceded five to Roberto De Zerbi’s side, with Facundo Buonanotte, Danny Welbeck, a Jack Robinson own-goal and two strikes from Simon Adingra condemning them to a heavy 5-0 defeat.
All five of Brighton’s goals were scored after Holgate’s dismissal for a ridiculously high challenge on Kaoru Mitoma.
It has already been described by some as one of the worst tackles in Premier League history – but one of Holgate’s teammates said in his post-match interview that on first viewing he didn’t even think the Everton loanee had committed a foul.
Anel Ahmedhodzic’s comments leave fans baffled
“If you ask my opinion that’s not a red card,” Anel Ahmedhodzic told the BBC. “I don’t want to say no more.
“I do not [think it was a red card], from what I’ve seen on the pitch, but maybe in the replay it seems harsher than it is but on the pitch, what I saw, I thought it was a fair tackle.”
Anel Ahmedhodzic thought Mason Holgate's tackle yesterday was a fair one 🟥❌#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/G03foYqKed
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 19, 2024
Manager Chris Wilder was more accepting of the referee’s decision and confirmed Holgate had held his hands up to his teammates.
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“He has apologised to the boys; he understands it, and he is an experienced pro,” Wilder said. “He has got it wrong, I want us to be competitive, I want us to win tackles, we can’t have a passive game.
“It is a competitive game, it is not a non-contact game but we have to get that right, Mason has to get that right.
“It is a huge setback for us in the approach to the overall game. I am torn, I am a competitor and I understand that it was a very, very strong challenge and the game has moved on.
“Some people won’t want the game to move and on and expect physical contact, excessive force or whatever you call it.
“Winning the ball and challenging in that way is deemed not acceptable. We have got no excuses, or nowhere to hide, the referee gave it a yellow card straight away but obviously when he went to the monitor and saw it slowed down and had somebody in his ear saying it was a red card.”