Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri was at the centre of some furious controversy in Marseille's 3-0 French Cup victory against Rennes
Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri is currently on loan at Marseille
Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri is currently on loan at Marseille(Image: Franco Arland/Getty Images)
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Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri was in the starting line-up as Marseille triumphed over Rennes 3-0 in their French Cup round of 16 clash. But the 18-year-old was substituted at half-time following a reckless tackle that sparked outrage.
The youngest-ever Premier League player for the Gunners was sent out on loan by Mikel Arteta last month to gain more experience in senior football. Marseille secured Nwaneri's services until the season's end and he made an immediate impact by scoring on his debut against Lens.
Nwaneri was given another start by Roberto De Zerbi against Rennes, whose defence was marshalled by incoming Liverpool star Jeremy Jacquet. Despite Marseille winning the tie 3-0, the young forward's tackle after just 22 minutes caused a furore. He was late on Rennes' Glen Kamara and caught his ankle with considerable force.
Kamara had to be replaced due to injury and Rennes' manager Habib Beye claims officials apologised post-match, acknowledging that Nwaneri should have been dismissed. De Zerbi promptly replaced Nwaneri at half-time and the French press have been highly critical of the Arsenal loanee's challenge.
Eurosport France
Eurosport France described Kamara's injury as "horrific", suggesting that the 3-0 cup tie could have taken a very different turn for Marseille had the fortunate Nwaneri been shown a red card.
The outlet reported: "Everything could have changed very quickly for Marseille after Nwaneri's foul on Kamara. It was a violent tackle with the Englishman's foot on the Finn's ankle."
Nwaneri's tackle on Kamara
The Arsenal loanee went in hard on Kamara(Image: beIN SPORTS)
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But what many believe saved Nwaneri is the fact that at this stage of the French Cup, VAR isn't being used. Eurosport France continued: "This foul could have warranted a red card.
"Beye made no secret of his anger towards the officiating crew. The 48-year-old manager demanded a red card for the Englishman. However, VAR is not yet in use at the Round of 16 stage of the competition."
La Provence
Regional publication La Provence criticised Nwaneri after the final whistle, suggesting that whilst he displayed some early attacking promise, his challenge warranted a sending off.
The outlet gave him a 4/10 rating for his first-half performance and wrote: "He has talent and fire in his legs, but he's too inconsistent. Despite a handful of impressive bursts of speed, he wasn't in the game.
"He completely lost it when he took out Kamara with a very heavy tackle on the ankle that deserved a red card. He only received a yellow card but was logically replaced at half-time."
Nwaneri's tackle on Kamara
Kamara was forced off due to injury(Image: beIN SPORTS)
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RMC Sport
Like other publications, RMC Sport felt Nwaneri escaped punishment in the cup encounter. The outlet reckons he would have been sent off and potentially cost his side the tie had VAR been available.
RMC Sport's live match commentary stated: "Nwaneri's made a huge mistake! What a challenge from the Marseille newcomer. He delivers a very harsh tackle on Kamara's ankle. VAR isn't in use for the round of 16 so the English midfielder gets away with it!"
Their post-match analysis added: "Despite the yellow card, Nwaneri didn't let up and made another slightly rough tackle a few minutes later. Although not sent off by the referee, the Englishman ultimately left the field at half-time.
Rennes boss Habib Beye in a press conference
Rennes manager Beye was furious at the decision(Image: RMC Sport)
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"Fearing he would be sent off, as the referee may have realised his mistake during the break, De Zerbi opted to replace him with Bilal Nadir for the second half."
However, RMC Sport acknowledged that Nwaneri demonstrated attacking potential during his brief appearance on the pitch, characterising him as "a whirlwind of energy in attack."