Styles red card: Keith Hackett reacts instantly to West Brom incident v Coventry
West Brom were left with it all to do after Callum Styles was issued a red card early in the second half against Coventry City.
Already trailing to goals from Jack Rudoni and Matt Grimes either side of half-time, Styles was issued a second yellow card with 51 minutes on the clock.
It effectively killed off Albion’s hopes of rescuing anything at CBS Arena in a game that many felt they simply had to win to stay in top-six contention.
Styles rightly sent off against Coventry
Styles wrapped his arms around Tatsuhiro Sakamoto near the touchline just inside Coventry’s half, preventing a counter-attack.
And in the view of former FIFA referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to West Brom News, Styles can have no complaints regarding his dismissal.
| Callum Styles | v Coventry |
| Minutes played | 51 |
| Tackles | 0 |
| Interceptions | 3 |
| Fouls | 3 |
| Red cards | 1 |
“If you are already on a yellow card and you wrap your arms around your opponent it is a foul,” Hackett said.
“In committing the foul, a promising attack has been denied by an act of unsporting behaviour. The referee correctly applied the laws of the game and issued a second yellow followed by a red card. It’s the correct decision.”
Styles gives Tony Mowbray an unwanted headache
Styles will now miss the game with Derby County on Monday (21 April), meaning Mowbray will have to tinker with his defence.
Of bigger concern will be the silly nature of this red card and the fact it all but killed off the Baggies’ hopes of a fightback against Coventry.
Styles will no doubt learn from the error, but that is of little solace to West Brom fans on a day of disappointment.
That is now four red cards for Albion players this season – only Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End and Luton Town have received more.
Jayson Molumby’s red was even more ridiculous than Styles’, but unlike that one, Albion will not be able to appeal – not that they would have any grounds to.
Mowbray’s men must now simply pick themselves up and hope that they are given helping hands from elsewhere over the next couple of weeks, or else this campaign will end in major disappointment.