Jamie O’Hara fumes at refereeing mistake in West Ham United v Newcastle clash
Former Tottenham midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Jamie O’Hara was outraged by the decision not to send Bruno Guimaraes off for a second bookable offence, after the part he played in Newcastle’s draw against West Ham.
Newcastle’s Brazilian midfielder was a key part of the second goal for the Magpies, lifting the ball over the top for Kieran Tripper to cross it in for the assist, but O’Hara feels he shouldn’t have been on the pitch.
The pundit claimed the red card would have changed the game, and the fact that Newcastle would go on to secure a result at the London Stadium meant the refereeing decision cost the Hammers the result.
O’Hara was outraged by the decision, live on Sky Sports News [15:32], as he fumed: “By the way, if I’m David Moyes after that game, I’m absolutely kicking off. Guimaraes shouldn’t be on the pitch, Newcastle are going to win the game and they should be down to ten men! It’s a disgrace!”
Darren Ambrose, who was covering the game, chimed in claiming: “He’s right, it’s a red card. Guimaraes should have a red card and he was a key part of the second goal as well with the through ball over the top to Kieran Trippier.
“Look, it has to be said, he should have had two yellows.”
Those types of decisions change games
If, at 1-0, Bruno had been sent off, the chances for West Ham to go on and secure victory would have increased ten-fold. These types of decisions are game-changing, and when they’re as blatant as this one, the blame can only be put on the man in the middle.
O’Hara is right to claim Moyes should be complaining. A decision that has ultimately cost his team all three points came at a key time when his side would have been able to ramp up the pressure and cause issues for this Newcastle side, who they’d already proved they could hurt.
Instead, the Magpies were able to regroup and reset with 11 men at half-time, and came out a completely different side in the second half, putting the sword to a lacking West Ham defence, with the midfielder playing a key role in the second goal.
The Hammers were able to claw one back through Mohammed Kudus late in the game to rescue a point despite Newcastle’s second-half dominance, but it won’t ease the frustration at the decision.
In other West Ham news, a new update has emerged on Jarrod Bowen’s contract.