A kick to the head which saw Jean-Philippe Mateta rushed to the hospital has been condemned in the strongest terms by Crystal Palace’s chairman.
Like most watching, Steve Parish was left shocked by a high boot from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts in a 3-1 Palace FA Cup win.
Roberts was sent off following a VAR review in the eighth minute after rushing out of his goal in bizarre fashion.
However attention quickly turned to Mateta, who required extensive treatment before being taken to an ambulance in a stretcher.
After the game, Palace boss Oliver Glasner told 90mins the striker is conscious in hospital with a serious ear injury, while Mateta posted a positive update from his hospital bed, promising to be 'back soon'.
But giving the BBC an update at half-time, Parish said: "He's got a bad gash behind his ear and a head injury, he’s at the hospital. We hope for the best.
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“You know, there’s a lot of emotion in football, but we need to talk about that challenge. In all the time I’ve watched football, I’ve never seen a challenge like it.
“I looked to see how old the keeper was and he’s 30-years-old.
“That’s the most reckless challenge on a football pitch, I think I’ve ever seen.”
Continuing his condemnation, the Palace co-owner said: “I think he needs to have a long, hard look at himself that lad. He’s endangering another professional with a challenge like that.
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“It’s very difficult for me to talk about the rest of the game because we’re worried about JP and it’s just a terrible, terrible challenge.
“They’re professionals and that’s another thing, they’re all professionals out there and they’ve got to treat each other like professionals.
“They have a duty of care towards their fellow professionals and that goalkeeper hasn’t had one. Credit to the players for carrying on.
“It’s difficult for me to think about anything else with JP in hospital.
“As I say, in all my time watching football, I think someone mentioned there was one in the World Cup in 1982 like it, but it’s a dreadful challenge.
“And why the referee needed to go to the screen, I have no idea.”
Millwall manager Alex Neil was left disappointed by Parish's rant - claiming he was not initially aware how serious the injury was.
Neil said: “I'm not suggesting the tackle wasn't a bad one. I was just in the press there which really surprised me. I wasn't obviously aware - because I'm in the game - of the talking point of the tackle and I think Steve Parish made a comment at half-time.
“Liam's come out, he's mistimed a challenge. If he's caught the lad and he deserved to be sent off then that's fine.
“We accept that but I'm not accepting anybody's suggestion as if Liam's tried to hurt the player. I mean, we're five minutes into the game, we're trying to win the game.
“We want to try and be competitive. He's mistimed it. He's caught the lad. Obviously, I hope the lad's fine and I hope he comes back and we wish him the best if it is a bad injury.
“But for anybody to suggest as if Liam would intentionally hurt him is way off the mark for me.”
Despite the worrying set-back, Palace responded well and managed to that the lead with the aid of a Japhet Tanganga own-goal.
Daniel Munoz made it 2-0 before Wes Harding gave ten-man Millwall hope deep into first-half stoppage time.
However, Eddie Nketiah ended the contest in the 81st minute for a 3-1 win to send the Eagles into the next round.
Post-match, attention was still on Mateta, with Palace captain Marc Guehi saying: "It was pretty worrying actually.
"We obviously wish him a speedy recovery, we know he's in the hospital at the moment which is good, but we hope he's doing well and can re-join the team as soon as possible."
Nketiah, who replaced Mateta, added: "Obviously we're sad for JP and hope he can get back in the team as soon as possible.
"But these things happen in football and you've got to stay ready - I had the chance today and it was good to get a goal."
Guehi was then asked if he had a message for Mateta in hospital, and said: "Fantastic!" in a French accent.
Also speaking post match was West Ham legend at 90mins host Alvin Martin who mirrored Parish's thoughts.
"It was a cowardly act," he said of Roberts. "That was reckless, if he wanted to come out and show how brave he was he would've headed that ball.
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"He knew he was coming out legs first and it showed a complete disregard for the safety of Mateta.
"He should be deeply ashamed of himself Liam Roberts."
