Brentford will be without star striker and Everton nemesis Thiago when the clubs meet in the Premier League at the Gtech Community Stadium after the international break
Brentford boss Keith Andrews during his side's defeat to Brighton
Brentford boss Keith Andrews during his side's defeat to Brighton(Image: (Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images))
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Brentford boss Keith Andrews has questioned the use of VAR as star forward Igor Thiago is set to miss his side’s game against Everton after the international break. Thiago, who scored a hat-trick against the Blues at Hill Dickinson Stadium last season and two goals in the reverse fixture at the Gtech Community Stadium, was sent off just 23 minutes into his side’s 2-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
The forward was initially shown a yellow card by referee Michael Oliver after reacting to a shirt pull and subsequent push from Albion midfielder Chema Andres, who was also booked. However, the punishment was upgraded to red on review as match official Oliver deemed the Brazil international used 'force' to push his opponent in the face with a raised arm.
"After review, Brentford No.9 pushes his opponent in the face with force. Yellow card is cancelled and the final decision is red card," Oliver announced to the crowd, as Thiago, pending an appeal, now prepares to serve a three-match suspension.
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And Andrews fumed: “We’ve lost two games in the league this season and both have been when we’ve gone down to 10 men, so you need to analyse yourself first clearly.
“On both scenarios, we can do better. On both scenarios, the opposition player has been the one to provoke the situation and antagonise our player and react towards our player in an aggressive way.
“Players’ reactions now mean everything. I’m going to reiterate it: we should do better. But the game is in a state now of a place I don’t particularly like. We’ll have to have a look at that because it’s costing us.”
Before he added: “I’m struggling to believe in this day and age where we see the referee’s call on pitch and the bar of where they’re given the licence to referee in-game, which is what I should think it should be, but he’s been sent to the screen.
Igor Thiago is shown a red card during Brentford's defeat to Brighton
Igor Thiago is shown a red card during Brentford's defeat to Brighton(Image: (Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images))
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“We play on the edge, we’re a team that likes to play on the edge, I want us to be on the edge. But it clearly cost us.”
But while Thiago looks set to miss the game against Everton, Jack Grealish could return to the travelling matchday squad for the clash at the Gtech.
Grealish has missed the Blues last four matches due to illness, a breach of club discipline and a lack of fitness.
However, the ECHO understands that the on-loan Manchester City star has now returned to Everton’s Finch Farm training complex and is currently on a tailored programme.
But the tailored programme won’t mean he will be doing purely personal training and he will rejoin his team-mates for first-team training sessions next week.
The game against Brentford is not until Monday, November 23, meaning the England international has around two weeks to build up his fitness.
Asked for an update on Grealish following his side’s 3-1 victory over Coventry City on Friday night, Everton boss David Moyes said: "There's no more detail at the moment."
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