Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has given his verdict on Wrexham's red card during their FA Cup fifth-round exit at the hands of Chelsea on Saturday evening, with Wayne Rooney strongly disagreeing. The Hollywood-owned Welsh club had held the Premier League giants to a 2-2 draw and forced the tie into extra time before George Dobson’s sending-off in the 93rd minute undid their hard work.
Alejandro Garnacho scored six minutes into extra time, and Joao Pedro added daylight in the 125th minute to put the tie beyond doubt in a 4-2 defeat for the Red Dragons. After earlier victories against Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town in England's oldest competition, their cup run ultimately failed to materialise into the blockbuster story their owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds had envisioned.
Not all hope is lost for the season, though, with Wrexham still tipped by a supercomputer to finish inside the playoff places in the Championship. Another promotion would mark their fourth successive rise through the leagues. But with some onlookers not ready to move on to league commitments just yet, debate remains over whether Chelsea should have been allowed to enjoy a numerical advantage over their hosts this weekend.
Hackett Casts Blunt Verdict on Wrexham's Red Card vs Chelsea
Wrexham red card
Dobson could have no complaints about being given his marching orders by Peter Bankes after VAR consultation, according to Hackett, who doubled down on the referee's opinion that the midfielder had gone into a challenge with Garnacho with unnecessary force. Speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the red card, the former referee said (watch the incident below):
“The decision to upgrade the yellow card to red after the intervention of VAR is the correct decision. This is exactly how VAR can assist the referee and deliver the correct outcome of dismissal. The challenge fulfilled the criteria for serious foul play.
"Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind, using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”
After Bankes’ initial yellow card was upgraded to a straight red, George Dobson can expect a three-match suspension for serious foul play. That would see him miss Wrexham’s home matches against Hull City and Swansea City, as well as their trip to Watford. Phil Parkinson's high-flying side currently sit sixth in the Championship, three points behind Hull with a game in hand.
Wayne Rooney Disagrees with Red Card Decision
Wayne Rooney during a commemorative ceremony at Goodison Park.
While former Wrexham captain Ben Tozer also thought the correct call had been made by Bankes, Rooney didn’t agree. “It is the right decision,” Tozer said during his punditry duties, as per Wales Online. “Listen, he has to make the foul because he is thinking I need to delay the play and take a sensible yellow card.
“Unfortunately, he catches (him) and Wayne actually thought it was a good tackle, which I found ironic. He has to foul him but it is a red card. His studs have gone into the side of his shin. For me, it is a red card.”
When asked if he felt a yellow card would have been the right decision, the Manchester United icon replied: “Yeah, I think so. It is a little bit high and that is about it. It is not a straight leg and full studs going into him. I’m not too sure.”
Tozer then said: “It is like a dark orange, isn’t it? It is one of them, if it happens on you, you are absolutely fuming," before Rooney then concluded: “I’m still not sure. I don’t think it is red.”