Shearer supports Awoniyi after red card against Brighton

Premier League legend Alan Shearer has come to Taiwo Awoniyi's defense after the Nigerian striker was sent off during Coventry City's heavy 5-0 loss to Brighton on Sunday. He questioned the decision to give Awoniyi a straight red card, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

Awoniyi was sent off in the second half for an elbow on Brighton defender Maxim de Cuyper as Coventry faced their fourth straight defeat without scoring a goal this season.

Shearer pointed out that the contact happened while both players were going for the ball. He wondered if it was enough to be called violent conduct.

"I’ve watched it a few times and I’m still trying to understand what Awoniyi is supposed to have done differently. Two players are competing for the ball. He jumps, his arm comes up naturally and catches De Cuyper. There’s contact. Nobody is denying that.

"But contact with somebody’s face cannot automatically mean violent conduct," Shearer said.

The former England striker also asked why the referee did not quickly show Awoniyi a red card before reviewing the incident. He felt the VAR process should have given officials enough time and angles to see if Awoniyi had elbowed his opponent on purpose.

"What makes this one stranger is the referee didn’t immediately reach for a red card. So you think, okay, they’ll have another look at it.

"They have the benefit of different angles, slow motion, people watching it upstairs, plenty of time to decide whether Awoniyi has deliberately elbowed somebody.

"And after all that, somehow they come back with the most severe possible decision. That’s the bit I don’t understand," he added.

Shearer maintained that the decision against Awoniyi would have made sense if the striker had intentionally swung his elbow at De Cuyper.

"If Awoniyi looks at him and throws an elbow, send him off. Nobody complains. But if we’re sending strikers off every time their arm catches somebody while they’re challenging for a ball, somebody needs to tell them what they’re supposed to do with their arms," he said.

Awoniyi’s red card came after Brighton had increased their lead with a goal from Malick Yalcouye. This left Coventry with 10 men, and Bobby Thomas gave away a penalty that Pascal Gross scored in the 70th minute.

Lewis Dunk then added a fourth goal for Brighton with a powerful 20-yard shot before Yasin Ayari finished the rout in stoppage time.

This defeat leaves Coventry at the bottom of the Premier League table after four matches, having lost all four without scoring.

Awoniyi now faces a three-game ban, which is the usual length for violent conduct. This means he will miss Coventry’s trip to his old club Nottingham Forest next Saturday, Tuesday’s Carabao Cup match against Aston Villa, and the Premier League game against Newcastle after the international break.