Mason Holgate could have recieved one of the crucial blatant red cards in Premier League history.
The defender was featuring in only his third game for Sheffield United when a knee-high challenge on Kaoru Mitoma left audiences stunned.
Holgate, who had only just signed from Southampton throughout the January window, flew into the Japan international and planted his studs right into his knee in horrifying scenes.
Referee Stuart Attwell initially gave a yellow card, but didn’t need much time to correct himself once he checked out his VAR screen.
Reacting to the incident, talkSPORT pundit and Arsenal legend Perry Groves said: “100 per cent a red card. Mason Holgate, what’s he doing?
“That’s VAR at its best. What’s he doing? He comes across with Mitoma running down the wing, and it’s reckless but not uncontrolled.
“He knows what he’s doing, he does take just a little little bit of the ball first and along with his right foot he goes right across.
“Mitoma does well, he knows the challenge is coming and that he can ride it, if he has a planted foot that’s a broken leg.”
A variety of fans echoed his thoughts, with one X user writing: “That’s certainly one of the worst challenges I’ve ever seen from Mason Holgate. Deserves a giant ban. Outrageous.”
One other added: “Mason Holgate needs to be banned for 10 games. Minimum. That’s criminal.”
The incident got here within the thirteenth minute with the sport scoreless, but Brighton quickly went on to take a 2-0 lead.
