Leif Davis has been slammed for a horror challenge on Bukayo Saka that sent Ipswich Town down to ten men.
The defender was shown a straight red card after planting his foot onto the back of the Arsenal winger’s Achilles in the 32nd minute of their 4-0 defeat.
Ipswich, who are close to being relegated, were already 2-0 down by that point following Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli goals.
And talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham and Perry Groves had nothing but complaints for the unnecessary tackle at Portman Road.
“Leif Davis is in a different postcode to the ball. What is he thinking of with that challenge?” Durham said.
Gunners legend Groves added: “It’s 100 per cent a sending off, it’s nasty, it’s horrible, he knows what he’s doing.
“It’s studs in Bukayo Saka, down his Achilles onto his ankle, he has tried to do him.
“You know when you apologise to the Ipswich fans? Don’t apologise mate, get off the pitch. It’s a coward’s tackle, coward’s challenge.
“Because he’s getting the run around on that right-hand side, Saka’s been involved in both goals, he’s just raked his studs down him.
“I hope he doesn’t try and say sorry to Bukayo Saka afterwards, because why say sorry when you meant to do something? It’s pre-meditated.
“So Chris Kavanagh the referee is 100 per cent right, get off the pitch.”
“It’s an absolutely disgraceful challenge,” Durham also said. “I’d love to know what’s going on in his head, other than Saka’s having a really good game.
“He has tried to do him, there’s no other reason why he’s putting his studs into the back of his heel.
“The other thing, he’s held his badge and then put out his hand to apologise.
“He’s then applauded the fans, they’ve applauded him back! What are they doing?”
Groves responded: “It’s nonsense, because that is pseudo-aggressive.
“You know when you say you want them to be physical and get stuck in? That’s pretending that you’re going to be physical.
“Pretending that you care, that is a load of nonsense. That does my head in when professional footballers do that, it’s just coward’s way out.”
The Premier League match centre swiftly confirmed why Davis was given his marching orders.
“The referee’s call of red card to Davis for serious foul play was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the challenge deemed to be endangering the safety of an opponent,” they said on X.
Saka was substituted early on in the second half and was seen with an ice pack on his leg whilst sitting on the bench.
Trossard scored Arsenal’s third of the afternoon before a deflected shot from Ethan Nwaneri made it 4-0 in the latter moments.
