Sky Sports pundit Luke Chambers has hit back at Paul Heckingbottom’s claims that Sunderland defender Chris Mepham should have been shown a red card during the Black Cats’ 0-0 draw with Preston North End on Wednesday evening.
The centre-back was booked during the first half for a foul on Sam Greenwood that occurred just outside the penalty area, sparking a subsequent debate over whether or not he should in fact have been dismissed for his challenge.
For his part, Heckingbottom was firmly convinced that the Sunderland man should have been given his marching orders, telling Sky Sports in a post-match interview: “It’s a red card. When he let it go we were unsure but when he’s given the foul, I think it’s Trai Hume’s [sic] tackle on the edge of the box, he’s last man. Sam’s next touch is a shot. That’s just the way it’s going at the minute.” The Preston boss then went on to criticise what he perceives to be the “appalling” standards of officiating in the Championship.
But speaking after the game, former Ipswich Town defender Chambers took a different view of the incident. He said: “I think he [Heckingbottom] is a little bit skewed in what he’s saying. You see Greenwood here, he steps into Mepham’s path – doesn’t step in his normal running gait to take the ball in his path.
“He steps across him, which causes him to make the foul. For me, anywhere else on the pitch, that might even go Sunderland’s way. That might be a bit controversial, but it’s not as clear cut as I feel he’s made out tonight.”
Fellow pundit Jermaine Beckford was also unconvinced that Mepham should definitely have been sent off, but took a more sympathetic view of Heckingbottom’s frustration. He added: “From his position, on the touchline at the halfway line, all he sees is Sam Greenwood clean in on goal, one on one with the goalkeeper, and he gets taken out. From that perspective, it’s a straight red card. If he [Mepham] gets sent off, nobody would have anything negative to say about it. If he doesn’t – if he gets booked – again, you can see that argument.”
