JUST IN: Biased PL refree facing wrong Officiating Penalty add salt to the Reds double red card encounter by making HUGE Nuno and Morgan Gibbs claim.
Referee Anthony Taylor found himself at the center of controversy once again after three red cards were issued within a minute during Nottingham Forest’s match against Brighton.
Taylor, serving as fourth official for the game, had recently been taken off refereeing duties after facing online abuse following Bournemouth’s clash with Chelsea, where he handed out 14 yellow cards and two to coaching staff. The abuse escalated to death threats against him and his family, prompting the Premier League to investigate and offer Taylor support through the PGMOL.
Hoping for a quieter weekend, Taylor was instead involved in another heated incident when Morgan Gibbs-White was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Brighton’s Joao Pedro. Although referee Rob Jones initially appeared to indicate that Gibbs-White had won the ball, he soon changed his mind and issued a second yellow. The Forest midfielder, stunned by the decision, angrily voiced his frustration at Taylor as he left the field.
The incident also led to the dismissals of Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler and Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo. Hürzeler was visibly frustrated with the delayed decision, while Nuno directed his anger at both Taylor and Jones after the red card was issued.
According to the Premier League Match Centre, “The referee issued a second yellow card to Gibbs-White for a reckless challenge on Pedro. Fabian Hürzeler and Nuno Espírito Santo were both sent off for their unacceptable technical area behavior following the incident.”
Rui Pedro Silva, Nuno’s assistant, was also booked and shared his perspective after the 2-2 draw. “From the bench, I thought Morgan’s tackle was a bit fast, but he touched the ball,” Silva said. “I didn’t think it was a second yellow. I’m not sure what Anthony Taylor heard to warrant two red cards for the managers. I understand they want to control emotions on the bench, but for me, it wasn’t a second yellow.”
Brighton coach Andrew Crofts also addressed the situation, acknowledging their frustration with the tackle. “Joao’s tackle didn’t look great, and we were upset about it. I didn’t see the red cards being issued because I was talking to a player, but the next thing I saw were the managers being sent off.”