Ex-Premier League Ref Mark Halsey: Granit Xhaka’s Tackle Was A Yellow Card Offense

By The Editor
on 17th October 2016

Mark Halsey gives his Xhaka verdict…

Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey believes that Granit Xhaka was rather unlucky to receive a red card for his challenge against Swansea City on Saturday.

Winger Mo Barrow left Xhaka for dead and with a dangerous counter-attack ensuing, the Swiss start took the Swansea forward out from behind which seemed like a classic yellow card offense.

John Moss clearly felt that Xhaka’s challenge may have endangered a player’s safety and entered the realms of ‘serious foul play’, though Halsey disagrees.

“Listen, it’s all about opinions,” Halsey said on ‘The Ref Show’.

“For me, I just thought it was a reckless challenge, and a yellow card would’ve sufficed.”

It’s quite bizarre that Xhaka will now be forced to serve a three-game ban, similar to that of a player who may well have headbutted someone on the pitch.

Nevertheless, it’s something we’ll have to deal with, and we certainly have the squad depth to do exactly that.