During West Ham’s Premier League match against Aston Villa, Jamie Carragher criticized Lucas Paqueta for what he deemed an “embarrassing” reaction.
The incident occurred just before halftime when Paqueta collided with Villa’s Lucas Digne on the edge of the box, leading to a dramatic fall from Paqueta.
The West Ham player appealed to referee Peter Bankes, urging him to take action against Digne, claiming he’d been elbowed. While VAR reviewed the play, it ultimately told Bankes to continue without issuing a penalty or card.
Carragher, providing commentary for Sky Sports, expressed his disappointment with Paqueta’s theatrics. “It’s one of those embarrassing moments,” said the Liverpool legend, noting that Paqueta barely felt the contact.
“Just get up. It’s getting too common in the Premier League—players trying to get opponents booked or sent off by exaggerating the contact.”
The clash came at a tense moment in the match, as Villa led 1-0 thanks to a fantastic 6th-minute goal by Jacob Ramsey. While West Ham struggled early, former Villa player Stephen Warnock pointed out that they found their rhythm as the match progressed, though they lacked the finishing touch. “They still don’t have that instinct in front of goal,” he observed.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp remarked on Villa’s inconsistent play, saying that their attacking performance was at times “beautiful” but also “wasteful.” He noted that Tyrone Mings’ injury forced a defensive reshuffle for Villa, which might provide West Ham with a potential opportunity. At halftime, Villa were still holding onto a slim 1-0 lead.