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Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish branded the challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta that got Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts sent off in their fifth-round FA Cup clash “the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen”.
The incident occurred early in the first half of the 3-1 Palace victory at Selhurst Park when Roberts was rushing, leg extended, to meet a through ball and kicked the Palace striker in the head.
Mateta was, after a long pause to treat him, taken off on the pitch on a stretcher and transferred to a hospital, but later posted on social media that he is “doing well” and hopes to be “back very soon”.
Parish told Sky Sports after the match “I think his ear is almost in half” but agreed with Palace manager Oliver Glasner and Millwall boss Alex Neil that Roberts’ intent was not to hurt the France forward.
Speaking to the BBC at half-time, Parish had said: “There’s a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge.
“In all the time I’ve watched football I haven’t ever seen a challenge like it. I looked to see how old the keeper was, he’s 30 years old. I mean that is the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen.
“And I think he needs to have a long, hard look at himself that lad, because he’s endangering a fellow professional, maybe even his life, with a challenge like that.
“It’s very difficult for me to talk about the rest of the game because obviously we’re worried about JP, and it’s just a terrible, terrible challenge.
“They’re all professionals out there and they’ve got to treat each other like professionals and have a duty of care towards their fellow professional and that goalkeeper hasn’t had one.”
Parish was also critical of referee Michael Oliver, wondering why he needed to consult VAR after the collision before dismissing Roberts with a red card in the eighth minute.
As Mateta was being treated, some Millwall fans could be heard chanting “let him die”.
The PA news agency understands the FA cannot investigate the offensive chants directed at Mateta – which do not breach regulations – but will be investigating homophobic chants directed at Palace defender Ben Chilwell.
Goals from Daniel Munoz and Mateta’s replacement Eddie Nketiah added to Japhet Tanganga’s own goal, while Wes Harding’s strike deep in first-half stoppage time was Millwall’s lone consolation.
Parish was more measured after the match, telling Sky Sports: “I think (Mateta’s) OK. I’ve had a message from his agents, so hopefully.
“It’s a head injury, isn’t it, so you don’t really know, but he’s got a really bad gash, I think his ear is almost in half.”
The Palace co-owner would not describe his previous interview as “angry” and agreed “shocked” was perhaps the more accurate term to sum up his feelings.
Parish added: “Look, you’ve got to assume the kid doesn’t mean it. It’s a lot of pressure, isn’t it, I don’t think he’s played for them that much, so I’m sure he will want to apologise.
“I’ve heard he is very upset about it himself. It was just a shocking challenge, and obviously at that time I was very worried for JP.
“We still are, slightly, but hopefully he is OK.”
