Mike Dean rules as Sky pundit rages at Crystal Palace red after Bournemouth escapes

19/04/2025 12:42

Mike Dean gave his verdict as a Sky Sports pundit was left fuming after Chris Richards was sent off for Crystal Palace.

Palace were looking to recover from two chastening defeats, conceding five goals in back-to-back games against Man City and Newcastle.

Arsenal target Jean-Philippe Mateta was the danger man early on, squandering a pull-back from Liverpool target Eberechi Eze.

However, the two major talking points in the game came just before half-time, leading to some heated discussions in the Sky Sports studio between ex-Palace striker Clinton Morrison, and former referee Dean.

Alex Scott avoids red before Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards sent off

Speaking on Sky Sports Soccer Special, Morrison was bemoaning the lack of quality on show between the Eagles and the Cherries, whilst also highlighting that Alex Scott should have been shown a second yellow card for a shove on Ismaila Sarr.

At that moment, Richards was then given his marching orders for a very soft second yellow challenge, with the former Palace striker saying (19 April, 3.46pm): “Ah, he’s sent off, red card, it sums the game up! Chris Richards, 10 men, and it’s no different [to Scott’s]! This is what I say about referees! Samuel Barrott!”

Mike Dean could be heard in the background initially saying: “There is a difference. There is.”

Morrison continues: “I still think Scott should have been sent off, and I’m not saying that because it’s for Palace, I just think it is a yellow card. [Richards] did a silly challenge for the first yellow card, and now this is the second one.

“He obviously missed a game in midweek but that’s a minimal touch from Chris Richards, so that’s what I’m saying, the consistency from the referees, they have to be better. It’s the same thing!”

Dean then responded: “I think because of what he’s done with Scott 20 minutes earlier, there’s the slightest, slightest pull on his hand on the halfway line.

“For me you can just give a free kick, manage the game like he managed Scott’s one before. Because you upset one team and not the other.

“If you keep both on the pitch everybody’s happy. He could have managed that better.”

Samuel Barrott slammed as Tyler Adams escapes red card for Bournemouth

Barrott’s decision to send off Richards set a precedent for every challenge made in the second half, with the bar being lowered for what was worthy of a second yellow card.

Morrison highlighted how card-happy the referee had been, before Tyler Adams, himself a recipient of a booking earlier in the game, made a haphazard challenge on Will Hughes, with the Sky Sports pundit saying (4.09pm): “We’ve had seven yellow cards and there’s not been one tackle in anger. Samuel Barrott has refereed… I don’t like to criticise referees, I know I have a laugh with Mike and stuff like that but I don’t like it because it’s a difficult job.

“But I’m telling you now, Tyler Adams has just pulled back on Will Hughes. It’s a second yellow card! Send him off! I don’t understand why he doesn’t send him off.

“You can tell what Iraola’s done, he took off Scott and put on [Lewis] Cook because he knows Scott should have been sent off.

“The Richards one can be a second yellow card which he goes [but] he should have sent off Scott and he should have just showed Adams a second yellow. It’s not consistent enough and that’s why people get frustrated with referees.”

Dean then added that Adams’ challenge was “never a second yellow”, but “I agree with the Scott one”, in relation to the foul made in the first half.

Crystal Palace justified in red card frustration

Football Insider Verdict

Palace’s players, staff, and supporters will no doubt be furious to have seen Richards receive his marching orders in the first half against Bournemouth. That anger is absolutely justified.

Richards’ foul was a silly one, no doubt. But Barrott’s decision not to send off Scott just minutes earlier sent a message that fouls to stop a quick counterattack were acceptable.

What changed in the referee’s mind between the two decisions is something only he will know, but the USA international was set up for failure by the referee.

As a consequence of the red card, every foul that followed only served to highlight how short-sighted Barrott’s choice to send off Richards was.

On the day the referee managed to inject the only source of much interest into a fairly dreadful game, as a pair of clubs that until recently appeared to be battling for impressive European qualifications appeared devoid of all previous quality.

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