‘He was lucky’: BBC pundit issues ‘trouble’ verdict on West Ham man

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James Collins feels Craig Dawson was ‘lucky’ to avoid an early red card during West Ham United’s meeting with Newcastle on Saturday, he said on BBC Radio 5 Live (19/2, 12:43),

David Moyes’ Hammers hosted Eddie Howe’s side at the London Stadium looking to do the double over the Magpies. The Irons beat a Steve Bruce-led Toon at St James’ Park back in August to snap a five-game winless streak, including back-to-back defeats last season.

Dawson opened the action in east London beside Kurt Zouma for his 23rd Premier League appearance of the campaign. He has so far only sat out three of the Irons’ top-flight fixtures this season and played each since October. He has also helped to keep six clean sheets.

Dawson came close to leaving West Ham facing a real challenge to overcome Newcastle on Saturday, however. The defender flew into a tackle on Ryan Fraser in just the 10th-minute and caught the winger with a clumsy knee to the Scotland international’s ribs.

VAR Jarred Gillett reviewed the collision but he did not recommend referee Chris Kavanagh show Dawson a red card. The Hammers blew a sigh of relief, having already been under the cosh during the early stages. And Dawson would put his lifeline to good effect soon after.

Collins felt West Ham defender Dawson ‘lucky’ to avoid red card

Dawson was West Ham’s hero at Leicester last week with a 91st-minute equaliser and his first league goal since March. But he did not have to wait another 11-months to net again, as the 31-year-old would fire past Martin Dubravka to break the deadlock on Saturday.

The defender timed his run to perfection to get a free header on Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick. But former West Ham defender Collins questioned if Dawson should still have been on the pitch to score in the 32nd-minute against Newcastle before Joe Willock’s equaliser.

“That wasn’t a great challenge at all from Craig Dawson,” Collins said. “He was lucky there was a foul given just beforehand, otherwise he would have been in trouble.”