Should Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon have been sent off in the goalless Championship draw with Stoke City on Saturday?
The goalless draw between Nottingham Forest and Stoke City on Saturday will not live too long in the memory on a day when goals were hardly in short supply in the Championship.
But a poor game still threw up one massive talking point. Midway through the first half, Benik Afobe found himself one-on-one with Forest goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, flicked the ball past the onrushing Romanian and then went to ground around 25 yards from goal.
The referee waved play-on with some accusing Afobe of taking a dive, but should this have been a free-kick and a straight red instead for last-man Pantilimon?
The lack of alternative camera angles means it is almost impossible to tell how much contact the former Manchester City custodian made with Afobe but Michael Brown, speaking on EFL on Quest (10 November, 9:00pm), was left in no doubt about the incident.
“It’s a red card for me,” said Brown, who represented the likes of Leeds, Fulham and Tottenham in his playing days.
“He has to get out the way because his leg’s on the ground, it’s very dangerous and it could break his leg.”
In truth, Nottingham Forest probably did not deserve to lose the game and might have picked up three points themselves had Stoke’s England international goalkeeper Jack Butland not been in such inspired form, making one terrific smothering save to deny Lewis Grabban.
But it is another ‘keeper who has dominated the post-match discussion.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
