WATCH: Harsh red card for Callum McManaman?
Saturday 2 December 2017 19:04, UK
Callum McManaman was sent off for Sunderland on Saturday after trying to score with his arm, but was it a harsh dismissal?
The midfielder had already been booked for a foul on Reading's Mo Barrow during their 3-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light, and was then shown a second yellow for turning an Adam Matthews cross over the line with his hand, under pressure from Leandro Bacuna.
The game was level at that stage just before the break, and David Edwards made Sunderland pay after half-time, before Barrow added two of his own. Lewis Grabban scored a late consolation for Sunderland from the penalty spot.
New boss Chris Coleman, taking charge of his first home game, admits the red card flattened his side.
He said: "It was always going to be tough today. Our record here is not great and we were against a team that plays possession-based football.
"Then we got a man sent off, everyone was flat, doom and gloom, then Reading bossed it for long periods. It is a huge disappointment for us because we are flat again. I can see the frustration here, you can't blame everybody for being frustrated."
Hit play on the video at the top of the page to see Callum McManaman's red card
