Morgan Gibbs-White makes honest admission as Nottingham Forest red card incident addressed
Nottingham Forest ace Morgan Gibbs-White was controversially sent off in the Reds' draw at Brighton and Hove Albion
by Sarah Clapson · NottinghamshireLiveMorgan Gibbs-White has spoken out about the red card he received in Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion last month.
The Reds’ No.10 was sent off by referee Rob Jones in the 83rd minute of the Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium. He had already been shown a yellow card for a foul on Georginio Rutter and was dismissed for a second bookable offence when he tackled Joao Pedro.
Jones’ decision to send Gibbs-White for an early bath divided the opinion of pundits. The majority of the Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel felt the official had made the wrong call, with a split of 3-2.
The Forest ace has admitted he is a player who plays on the edge. But he is convinced that not so long ago his tackle would have resulted in a different outcome.
BBC pundit Dion Dublin put it to Gibbs-White that he played the game in a similar way to the likes of Roy Keane and Wayne Rooney. Dublin added that ex-Reds midfielder Keane had once told him there was no point playing otherwise.
Speaking for a feature on Football Focus, Gibbs-White replied: “I feel the exact same. Speaking of red cards, obviously I got one the other day.
“It happens. It does.
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“Six or seven years ago, you could almost get away with those tackles and everyone saying it’s a great tackle. But I think the way the game has changed and how they are trying to look at it in a different view now…
“I took a second look in the game and I thought ‘Hmm, it’s a 50-50’. In the moment, I just knew what I was going to do before and the speed that I was going at… It’s like I said, if I’m doing something I’m 100 percent committed to doing it.”
Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo and Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler were also sent off by Jones for their reactions to the Gibbs-White incident. Nuno and Gibbs-White have since been charged by the Football Association for allegedly acting in “an improper manner” and/or using “abusive and/or insulting words” towards the officials.
As a result of his red card, Gibbs-White was suspended for the Reds’ 1-0 defeat to Fulham last Saturday. He will be available again this weekend when Nuno’s men travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on Sunday (2pm kick-off).