Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes Luis Sinisterra gave Stuart Attwell no choice but to send him off in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday. Sinisterra was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence just four minutes into the second half.
The Colombia international stopped Aston Villa from taking a quick free-kick by leaving his leg out after not retreating 10 yards. Speaking on Sky Sports’ ref watch, Gallagher believes Sinisterra was asking the ‘referee to make a decision’ and insists a second yellow card was the correct call.
He said: “To quote Stephen [Warnock], ‘why give the referee the opportunity?’ You’re on a yellow card, you’re just asking the referee to make a decision and the only decision you can make there is yellow card. He’s got no where else to go, he’s already on a yellow card and he’s got to be sent off.
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“He’s sent off for a halfway line, very little danger. He’s paid a heavy, heavy price.”
Gallagher was then asked whether an incident earlier in the match, where two Villa players stood over a Leeds free-kick, would’ve resulted in a booking if it had been attempted to be taken quickly.
“Well we see that sometimes, the referee gives a free-kick to you and I am there, I have got time to retreat. But Sinisterra, he just puts his leg up waist high, he’s given the referee no option, why give him that decision to make?”
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