Scandalous Mason Holgate tackle was the worst I've seen in years - Mitoma was nearly finished
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has slammed Everton loanee Mason Holgate for his potentially "career-ending" challenge on Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma for Sheffield United
Jamie Redknapp has labelled Everton loanee Mason Holgate's sending-off in Sheffield United's 5-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion as "one of the worst tackles I've seen in years".
The 27-year-old defender, who made the loan move from Goodison Park to Bramall Lane in January after an unsuccessful stint with Southampton in the Championship, was shown a straight red card by referee Stuart Atwell for a reckless challenge on Kaoru Mitoma 13 minutes into the Blades' Premier League defeat on Sunday.
Atwell had initially shown the defender a yellow card but after the intervention of VAR, who recommended a closer inspection of the challenge on the pitch-side monitor, Holgate was given his marching orders at Bramall Lane.
Speaking on Sky Sports during the half-time break, with Chris Wilder's side 2-0 down to the Seagulls, Redknapp slammed Holgate's challenge as one of the worst he's seen in the Premier League and insisted Mitmoma was lucky to escape a serious injury from the potential "career-ending" challenge.
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"It's an assault. It's one of the worst tackles I've seen in years. Even in my era that would have been a scandalous tackle," said Redknapp, who captained Liverpool during his Premier League career. "How on earth Mitoma's managed to get his left leg out of the way, I've got no idea. Thank goodness he has, otherwise that's career-ending. His career would be finished.
"I feel so sorry for Chrissy Wilder in this instance because his best-laid plans... he's said 'Alright, let's not make any mistakes, let's not give anything away this first 10 minutes', and you have a player that does that.
"I've got no idea what he's thinking, but he's cost his team - they've got to run around, chase, try and get into a game, and obviously the [opening] goal's going to come from that, but a scandalous tackle."
In the absence of Holgate, who was making just his third appearance since moving to Bramall Lane last month, Sheffield United fell to a 5-0 defeat to Roberto De Zerbi's side. The defeat leaves the Blades rock bottom of the Premier League and seven points from safety.