A few West Ham United fans have been demanding that the Football Association issue Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish with a retrospective ban for simulation following his controversial incident during Sunday’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Villa played host to Palace on Sunday in what was a crucial fixture for the Birmingham-based side’s Premier League survival hopes, with victory moving Dean Smith’s squad to within four points of 17th-placed Watford and 16th-placed West Ham.
During the top-flight affair, Grealish appeared to have been fouled inside the Eagles’ penalty area by Patrick Van-Aanholt, with the Dutchman appearing to have stood on the midfielder’s foot before he theatrically flung himself to the ground.
Referee Martin Atkinson initially awarded Villa a spot-kick for the incident but was soon overruled by the Virtual Assistant Referee, though the decision failed to affect the scoreline with the claret and blue side going on to emerge victorious nonetheless.
Grealish later expressed his frustrations at VAR for the decision to award a penalty being overturned, noting how he could not see any clear differences between his collision with Van-Aanholt and how Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes won a spot-kick against Villa even though the Portuguese ace seemed to provoke the contact with Ezri Konsa.
“Well I went through, I don’t know if I was going to shoot, or pass, or whatever,” said Grealish, via quotes by the Express. “I pulled my foot back and I think I’ve just kicked him.
Should Grealish face retrospective action?
Yes
No
“I’m not too sure whether it was or wasn’t a penalty. I’ll have to see it back, but I think, you know, the penalty that got given against us in the week with Bruno Fernandes from Man United, if that’s a penalty then I’m sure it should have been one today.”
As Grealish was not cautioned for simulation when the penalty decision was overturned, some West Ham fans on social media are adamant that the FA should take retrospective action having previously given Hammers midfielder Manuel Lanzini a two-game ban for diving in 2017.
The Argentine was suspended after being found guilty of deceiving the matchday officials during a 3-0 victory over Stoke City, having fallen to the ground whilst being challenged by Erik Peters and being awarded the penalty which opened the scoring.
Here are some of the messages shared on social media…
Will he receive a ban for it like Lanzini did? Probably not. Spineless cowards @FA https://t.co/A1E9iLpMED
— West Ham News (@whufc_news) July 12, 2020
Has to get a ban or the games gone
— jinksyhammer (@jinksyhammer) July 13, 2020
Absolute joke , @FA seriously??
— jamie gibbs (@junglejim73) July 13, 2020
The more I see, the more ridiculous it gets. @FA what are you going to do about this?!? https://t.co/pxX3nALEfk
— Lizzie Jackson (@lj46whufc) July 13, 2020
Not all West Ham fans agree that Grealish should be issued a retrospective ban, as whilst Lanzini was suspended for two matches, the Argentine’s incident directly influenced the result.
Grealish’s incident, on the other hand, would have given Villa the chance to extend their lead but were denied the opportunity as a result of the VAR intervention.
Any retrospective suspension for Grealish would directly aid West Ham’s survival hopes as it would be removing a relegation-rivals’ star player from one or more of their remaining three fixtures.
Grealish has struck Villa’s most goals in the Premier League this season with seven to his name, while also penning his side’s most assists (six), taking the most shots (50), playing the most key passes (85) and has won the most ground duels (252), per Sofa Score statistics.
Why would he recive a ban? Lanzini was successful at cost stoke a goal and possibly 3 points. Grealish didn’t
— #gsbout (@Matwhu023) July 12, 2020
The result of his dive is relevant tho, lanzini only got banned because his dive earned a penalty hence the retrospective ban!
— cobblarr! ⚒ (@andrewcobb20) July 13, 2020