Lucas Paqueta snubbed David Moyes after West Ham United yellow card amid controversy
Roshane Thomas has detailed how Lucas Paqueta snubbed David Moyes after he was booked against Aston Villa on 12 March 2023.
Paqueta has been charged by the FA with four incidents of spot-fixing, with the 26-year-old midfielder facing a potential lifetime ban from football if found guilty.
He is accused of intentionally receiving yellow cards – which he denies – with one of the four bookings in question arriving during the 1-1 draw with Villa at the London Stadium last season.
Paqueta was booked in the 70th minute for a foul on Scott McGinn, with Moyes taking the Brazillian off seven minutes later.
And Thomas has detailed how Paqueta snubbed his manager after he came off, writing via The Athletic (24 May), “But instead of acknowledging West Ham manager David Moyes and his backroom staff, the midfielder walked straight down the tunnel.”
Lucas Paqueta and West Ham United are in a terrible situation
This is one of the most incredible cases in Premier League history.
If Paqueta does receive a lifetime ban it would be truly unprecedented.
West Ham would surely be furious, and it would leave the club with a lot of questions to answer over how they handle his contract and pay going forward.
This entire case threatens to open up a legal can of worms.
While it is not clear yet whether or not Paqueta is guilty, it is fair to suggest that his behaviour against Villa was odd.
Walking straight down the tunnel and ignoring your manager is never a good look, but it looks even worse for Paqueta now.
Conspiracists among the West Ham fanbase will question what Paqueta was doing when he got back to the changing room.
It could be argued that his frustration at the situation suggests he wasn’t happy about being booked, but perhaps he was just acting.
While it might not ever become clear why he ignored Moyes and marched down the tunnel, the outcome of these FA charges might give fans a better idea.
In other West Ham news, Gabriel Agbonlahor has shared his verdict on a potential lifetime ban for Paqueta.
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