Lee Hendrie reacts to West Brom controversy on Jordan Hugill incident v Barnsley
Lee Hendrie has insisted that West Brom forward Jordan Hugill was ‘lucky’ not to pick up a serious injury in the 0-0 draw v Barnsley.
The Baggies were left frustrated as their added time counterattack was axed shortly by a ‘terrible’ challenge from Michal Helik on the West Brom forward.
The severity of the injury is currently unknown as Hugill was forced off the pitch following the howler.
Speaking live on air on Sky Sports Main Event, Hendrie said: “This looks a real nasty challenge, it was right Infront of us. His first touch does just get away, he knows Jordan Hugill.
“It’s very high, it’s late. I tell you what, it’s a red card for me without a shadow of a doubt. It’s just how high his foot is and it’s lesser of the law. Very fortunate.
“I think when you go in with that intensity, I’m not saying Helik had anything in his mind that he wanted to hurt Jordan Hugill but he’s chasing.
“He has certainly got no contact on the ball at all and how high that challenge is, it’s reckless.
“Hugill gets there Infront of him and it’s so high on top of his thigh and all the way down his knee, it’s terrible.
“The more you see it on slow motion, I tell you what, if we would have had VAR that would have been a red.”
Shocker.
More question marks were raised as to why VAR is yet to be introduced in the Championship with Helik almost certain to see red if the incident was reviewed.
Not only would it help protect the players, but it would also help our referee’s in making the right decisions and improve the quality of the second tier of English football.
No one wants to wish injury on anyone, but if Hugill was to be missing, there wouldn’t be too many complaints.
The experienced forward isn’t delivering the goods in the final third, with his miss last night in the opening 45 minutes simply embarrassing.
In other West Brom news, Mick McCarthy blasts West Brom defender Darnell Furlong live on Sky.