Patronising pundit Micah Richards shows huge Sheffield United hypocrisy after ridiculous Arsenal point
Pundit Micah Richards overlooks big Sheffield United claim after ridiculous point following Arsenal controversy
It will come as no secret to any Sheffield United fan that high-profile pundits in this country are more interested in, and biased towards, the big teams in the Premier League but every now and again, an example crops up that still comes as some surprise. The latest was this weekend, in the fall-out from Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card in Arsenal’s win over Wolves for a poor challenge on Matt Doherty.
The Gunners youngster caught the Wolves man with his studs in a cynical challenge and was shown a red card by referee Michael Oliver, a decision that was upheld by VAR. The Gunners are never shy with their persecution complex when decisions don’t go their way and Oliver has since received death threats over the decision, while a host of pundits have since weighed in with their views on the decision.
One of them was former Manchester City man Micah Richards, speaking on the Rest is Football podcast. “That’s the worst decision I have ever seen in Premier League football history,” Richards said. “Michael Oliver ... yes I think he’s top. So he makes a mistake, which we all make mistakes. But how on earth they can go to VAR, look at a screen, look at it multiple times, not even a split second to look at it, but 10 seconds, 20 seconds, multiple different angles, and they still think that is a red.
“And I don’t like using the word disgrace because I feel like it’s easy to throw that word out. But if you look at the magnitude of that decision, it was so poor, and then for them to double down on the decision, I just think it’s shocking.”
Unitedites would have a valid point in pointing out their own entry for the “worst decision in Premier League history” which arguably had a big impact on their season and consequent future. It was the Premier League’s first game back after “project restart” forced by the Covid-19 pandemic, and United travelled to Aston Villa looking to rediscover the momentum that the pandemic had cost them in their remarkable tilt for European football.
The BBC’s match report described the result as “a low-key goalless draw” but in reality it was anything but, as one of the most staggering technological failures in the top flight’s history cost United what could have been a huge result. United should have gone 1-0 in front when Villa goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland caught Ollie Norwood’s deep free-kick and fell over his own goalline with the ball still in his hands.
Multiple replays showed the ball had clearly gone over the line but the goalline technology failed and VAR inexplicably declined to get involved to correct the decision, with HawkEye later “unreservedly apologising” to United. Ironically, the referee that day was Oliver. The game finished 0-0 and United went on to finish ninth, leaving that season as one of the biggest ‘what-if?’ moments in the club’s recent history.
But coverage of the controversy at the time verged on patronising, with Sky Sports host Dave Jones chuckling as Sky gave it a token five minutes or so of discussion - with, again ironically, Richards one of the pundits asked for his opinion. Rather than display “worst decision ever” levels of ire and criticism, Richards said: “Imagine if that costs Sheffield United Champions League? There’d be uproar. It’s not worth thinking about. But on the other hand I’m close to the Aston Villa side so, you know, I’ll take the point and they’ll go again.”
With that, and a defence of goal-line technology from Richards’ colleague Jamie Carragher, Sky moved on and so did the footballing world. If it had happened to one of the big clubs - say, perhaps, Arsenal - we’d probably still be talking about it now. So sorry, Micah - far from the worst decision in Premier League history, it’s not even the worst you have had your say on.