Football

Gary Neville delivers his verdict on Watford captain Troy Deeney’s sending off against Arsenal


Troy Deeney was shown a red card just 11 minutes into Watford’s game against Arsenal (Getty Images)

Gary Neville believes that Troy Deeney overstepped the mark after the Watford captain was dismissed against Arsenal for flinging his arm into Lucas Torreira’s face after just 11 minutes.

Less than a minute after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had given Arsenal the lead, Deeney was shown a straight red card by referee Craig Pawson after appearing to catch Torreira with his forearm.

Deeney was furious with the decision and made his feelings known to the fourth official as he made his way down the tunnel. However, Neville sided with the referee’s decision and stated it was ‘stupid’ from the 30-year-old.

Deeney protested his innocence after catching Torreira in the face (Getty Images)

‘He’s trying to lead but it’s just a stupid thing to do,’ Neville said on Monday Night Football. ‘The linesman’s got a great view of it, he’s thrown his forearm into the face of Torreira.

‘I think 15 years ago you’d probably say he’s not done a lot wrong, in the 2019 Premier League he’s got nowhere to go.’

Deeney has been a vocal critic of Arsenal and in particular, their mentality in the past, stating after a 2-1 win for Watford against them in October 2017 that they lacked ‘cojones’.

The long-serving Watford striker has also previously said: ‘Whenever I play Arsenal, I’ll go up and think, ‘Let me whack the first one and see who wants it.’

Neville believes that Deeney’s past comments about Arsenal might have influenced the referee’s decision by suggesting that they are savvier to footballer’s comments in the modern game.

He added: ‘These referees now are aware of previous confrontations, previous statements that had been made ‘you just have to whack them, you just have to do this’.

‘I think Troy Deeney’s gone out with the intent that he’s going to mess these centre halves about, mess this Arsenal midfield about, they’ve just conceded a goal and he basically oversteps the mark.

‘It’s a fine line between being a leader and just going over the line.’





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