Sunderland’s Alese could’ve given away cheap penalty

Sunderland defender Aji Alese might really feel lucky to not have given away a penalty on the weekend of their draw in opposition to Millwall.

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Tony Mowbray’s males picked up an enormous level away to the Londoners on the weekend in a recreation the place the discovered themselves a aim behind.

Dennis Cirkin was the person to get his head on the ball and supply the Black Cats with a manner again into the sport for what was simply his second aim of the 2022/23 marketing campaign.

However, there was a penalty shout for the hosts with the Sunderland centre-back seemingly holding again Tom Bradshaw contained in the penalty space.

And talking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has labelled this incident as clumsy from the younger defender:

“It’s clumsy and I think whatever the referee does, you back him, because he goes down, together – is there enough to give a penalty? The referee’s close, he has a good view. Difficult call.”

Big let-off?

There does actually appear to be some contact from the 22-year-old who allowed Bradshaw to show inside him regardless of having Danny Batth overlaying.

So with this in thoughts, there in all probability is a few scope for a possible penalty to be awarded in opposition to the Black Cats with the Millwall ahead taking place because of the contact.

And given the incident occurred after simply a few minutes, it’s one thing which might have actually modified the narrative of the sport if Sunderland had discovered themselves behind so early on.

However, there’ll probably be some who would really feel it could have been a tender penalty had it been awarded by the referee.

Perhaps the contact was minimal but it surely was sufficient to doubtlessly give the referee one thing to consider which is all the time a harmful recreation to play.

Alese has performed an enormous position within the Sunderland facet this season since making the transfer from Millwall’s rivals, West Ham United, over the summer time.

However, it does appear Saturday might not have been his finest show in a pink and white shirt as journalist James Hunter awarded him with only a 6/10 score.

The teenager clearly has some growing nonetheless to do and maybe this incident is one he’ll study from as one other referee seemingly might have interpreted it otherwise.