Dean White

Sun 9 October 2022 17:37, UK

Michael Owen was stunned by Andreas Pereira’s foul on Craig Dawson to hand West Ham a penalty against Fulham at the London Stadium on Sunday.

Pereira had put Fulham ahead before he was warned by referee Chris Kavanagh for wrestling with Dawson in the penalty area when trying to defend a corner.

But Fulham’s hero became their villain when he repeated himself and fouled Dawson, conceding a penalty that was scored by Jarrod Bowen.

Fulham lost the game 3-1, leading Owen to slaughter Pereira for his antics.

“Well, in isolation the foul isn’t the worst foul I have seen,” said BT Sport pundit Owen on Premier League Productions (9 October, 2:55pm), as transcribed by HITC. “It’s not the 100% most stonewall penalty I have ever seen. 

“But when you look at this sequence. The referee warns him, then all the fans are shouting, and the players are making a song and dance about it.

“Bearing in mind all those things, it has to be possibly the stupidest act on a football field or one of them I have ever seen.

“He is basically telling the whole world just watch what I am about to do, then goes and does it. Absolute insanity what he does.”

Crazy – but thanks anyway

Pereira put Fulham ahead – and then did that.

We’d be furious with him if that was one of our players.

But still, we’re grateful he did because it set West Ham on their way to victory in the London derby game at the old Olympic Stadium.

Things are finally improving for the Irons.

David Moyes had a rough start to the campaign but he’s now started to get a tune out of his new players with Gianluca Scamacca and Lucas Paqueta combing for one of the goals.

Michail Antonio was also back on the scoresheet so it was a very good day overall for the boys in claret and blue.

Next up for West Ham in the Premier League is a trip to Southampton, where they’ll play against a side managed by under-pressure Ralph Hasenhuttl.

After that are games against Liverpool, in-form Bournemouth and Manchester United in the league.