Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has hit out at Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts for a reckless challenge that sent Jean-Philippe Mateta to the hospital during Saturday’s FA Cup clash. The shocking incident happened just eight minutes into the match, leaving Mateta needing urgent medical attention.
Roberts rushed off his line to clear a long ball but caught Mateta in the head with a dangerously high boot. The impact left the Palace striker motionless on the ground, requiring extensive medical treatment before being carried off on a stretcher. He was later taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
At halftime, Parish, still visibly frustrated, gave an update on Mateta’s condition to BBC presenter Kelly Somers. “He’s suffered a nasty gash behind his ear and a head injury,” he confirmed. “He’s in the hospital, and we’re hoping for the best. I’ve never seen anything like that in all my years watching football.”
The Crystal Palace chairman did not hold back in criticizing Roberts for what he saw as a completely reckless and dangerous act. “It’s the most dangerous tackle I’ve ever seen,” he said. “At 30 years old, he should know better. He put a fellow professional’s life at risk, and that’s simply unacceptable.”
Parish also questioned the officiating, expressing his disbelief that referee Michael Oliver initially did not even show Roberts a yellow card. “How does the referee miss that?” he asked. “VAR had to step in, but it should have been an immediate red card. You can’t kick someone full force in the head and get away with it.”
Eventually, after being called over to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, Oliver reversed his decision and showed Roberts a straight red. However, Parish remained frustrated that it wasn’t immediately recognized as a dangerous foul.
Mateta, who has been in excellent form with 12 Premier League goals this season, now faces an uncertain recovery. His absence could be a huge blow for Palace as they continue their FA Cup and league campaign.
Parish concluded by saying that the focus remains on Mateta’s health. “Right now, all we care about is JP being okay,” he said. “It’s hard to think about anything else when a player is in the hospital after such a horrific challenge.”