Two-footed challenge

zocoss SG

Readings Brynjar Gunnarsson (inset left) lunges in on West Hams Hayden Mullins to earn a red card

Day of shame: Record 19 red cards shown as two-footed lunges become the norm

The season of goodwill was cut short yesterday as a record number of red cards 19 were shown in England's four divisions.

Horror tackles and petulant behaviour overshadowed an otherwise enthralling Boxing Day programme. When the dust settled Manchester United had returned to the top of the Premier League with a 4-0 win at Sunderland, a point clear of Arsenal who were held 0-0 at Portsmouth.

Chief villain of the day was Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho, who was forced to apologise for a two-footed challenge on Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor. The Portugal star, one of three players dismissed in a seesaw 4-4 thriller at Stamford Bridge, said: 'It was never my intention to hurt Agbonlahor with the tackle. I was going for the ball and I don't want people to think I tried to hurt another player. I didn't see him after the game to apologise but I asked for a message to be passed on to him.'

Chelsea manager Avram Grant, who saw Carvalho's fellow defender Ashley Cole sent off for deliberate handball late on, was quick to defend his players. Grant said: 'For me what's important is that Carvalho did not intend to hurt the player I didn't see any intention. The red card was the decision of referee Phil Dowd and I respect it.'

Grant will appeal against Cole's red card. The manager added: 'I saw it again on the television and it was not a penalty.' Villa centre half Zat Knight was also sent off for a professional foul moments before half time.

The dishonour of being the first man to see red yesterday went to Reading's Brynjar Gunnarsson, whose two-footed lunge on Hayden Mullins in Reading's 1-1 draw at West Ham was a further example of a worrying trend. His manager Steve Coppell at least accepted that he deserved to go.

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley, commenting on Gunnarsson's foul, said: 'At the start of the season the referees' leader, Keith Hackett, told us in no uncertain terms if you leave the ground with both feet in a challenge you're off no matter if you get the ball.'

Derby boss Paul Jewell confronts Liverpool counterpart Rafa Benitez during a hot-tempered clash at Pride Park

In another shameful display, managers Rafael Benitez and Paul Jewell squared up to each other on the touchline and had to be separated by the fourth official as Liverpool earned a late 2-1 win over Derby at Pride Park.

Derby boss Jewell was angered by the reaction of Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin to a challenge from home full back Jay McEveley, prompting a confrontation with his Spanish counterpart.

Jewell said: 'McEveley never touched him. If he had, then Voronin would never have got up. I just didn't agree with it.'

Liverpool won the game with a last-minute Steven Gerrard goal after McEveley had cancelled out Fernando Torres' opener.

Benitez said: 'It was a bad tackle but we clearly had different points of view on it. But it's OK. At least he [Jewell] did not come across and tackle me.'

zocoss SG

CAR SMASH ... Chelsea defender Carvalho lunges at Gabriel Agbonlahor with a red-card tackle

RICARDO CARVALHO last night issued a public apology for his horror tackle on Gabriel Agbonlahor. Chelsea defender Carvalho, 29, will cop a three-game ban after being sent off for his reckless studs-up lunge at the Aston Villa star 10 minutes from the end of this pulsating draw.

Carvalho said: It was never my intention to hurt Gabriel. I was going for the ball. I dont want people to think I tried to hurt another player. I didnt see him after the game to apologise but I did ask for a message to be passed on to him.

Carvalhos red card has plunged Chelsea into crisis. Boss Avram Grant will also be without left-back Ashley Cole and injured centre-half and skipper John Terry for Saturdays home clash against Newcastle. Cole was also sent off for the handball which allowed Villa to snatch an injury-time equaliser in an eight-goal thriler.

Midfielder Frank Lampard is doubtful after picking up a thigh injury and will have a scan today. Striker Didier Drogba is also crocked.

Villa boss Martin ONeill accused Michael Ballack of diving to throw Chelsea a lifeline.

Ballack accused of diving

The German went down in the box under a challenge from Zat Knight, who was also sent off by ref Phil Dowd. Angry ONeill will appeal the decision today. He said: It was not a penalty. There was no contact and he has just gone over. "I know I am armed with TV replays and the ref only has one look at it but it was not a penalty. It was very harsh.

Blues boss Avram Grant will appeal the decision to send off Cole. The Israeli said: Ashley did not handle the ball. It hit his head and he said it was not a penalty.

ctstalin SG

who started this this disturbing trend Confused

zocoss SG

Must be Bolton or Blackburn... Laughing

turbo_drift SG

ya lor. Neutral

omgukilledkenny SG

There should have been two more.

Hibbert 2 footed tackle on Evra. Hibbert got a yellow card.

Craig Gordon 2 feet off the ground lunging at Ronaldo. Gordon went unpunished.

a-Lost-9uY SG

tink cfm is Rovers la..

they r super-well-known in this Laughing

anhydrouscoppersulphate SG

michael essien Twisted Evil

ronaldog SG

Originally posted by zocoss:

Readings Brynjar Gunnarsson (inset left) lunges in on West Hams Hayden Mullins to earn a red card

[b]Day of shame: Record 19 red cards shown as two-footed lunges become the norm

The season of goodwill was cut short yesterday as a record number of red cards 19 were shown in England's four divisions.
[/b]

Check out d pic top left hand corner! If u take out the extra 0, it reads "Wh 0RE".

Laughing

zocoss SG

KEOWN BLASTS `COWARDLY` TACKLES

Carvalho apologise.

Former England and Arsenal defender Martin Keown has branded players who make two-footed tackles "cowardly".

There been a recent proliferation of red cards for the offence - Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho and Reading's Brynjar Gunnarsson were the latest miscreants on Boxing Day - and concerns are growing someone will be seriously injured unless it is clamped down upon.

The tough-tackling Keown believes modern-day players are more concerned with self-preservation and have little concern for the welfare of opponents. "It is creeping in more and more. I saw a couple yesterday and the players made them look pre-meditated," he said.

"They really need to stamp it out, outlaw it in the game. Yesterday everyone was punished in the right way and it was good to see Carvalho come out and apologise. "I wonder if players are thinking 'I don't want to break my foot'? But to go in with two feet you know you are going to cause some damage.

"I think it is cowardly when you go into a challenge when you know you are not going to get hurt." The ex-Everton defender, capped 43 times by his country, was no great respecter of opposing teams in his playing days but he stressed he always tried to win the ball fairly.

He expects the number of two-footed tackles to reduce over time, given the adverse publicity they have received, but he warned players that do not cut it out they risk being tarnished for longer. "I don't know if I could do a two-footed tackle. It is something I would never have done instinctively," added Keown.

"When I was playing I would identify the ball and pinch it with one foot or the other. "I think the authorities are trying to deal with it in the right way but it comes down to the players taking it on board. "I think it will disappear. I think when players see it on television they will regret it.

"But you do get a reputation - I think it happened to Michael Essien a couple of times - and it is not what you want to get a reputation for."