Millwall responds to the FA’s plan to increase Liam Roberts’ ban as fans continue to sing about Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Liam Roberts was sent off in the 8th minute of the FA Cup fifth round defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon for a dangerous challenge which left striker Jean-Philippe Mateta needing 25 stitches in his left ear.
Roberts missed Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat by Bristol City at the Den, as he was serving the first match of a three-game ban, which could now be extended. A number of videos have emerged of fans applauding for Roberts on the 8th minute, others sang again about Mateta being in A&E.
Palace chairman Steve Parish said that the challenge as “the most reckless I’ve ever seen” while Millwall say that Roberts contacted Mateta after the match “with an apology which was accepted immediately”.
0-0 – on 8mins @MillwallFC fans show their support for their Keeper Liam Roberts pic.twitter.com/hCAQZINWrc
— Ian Abrahams (Moose) (@BroadcastMoose) March 4, 2025
Response from @MillwallFC. They will fight the attempt to increase the ban. “Millwall Football Club acknowledges the FA’s statement and will continue to support Liam who has been subjected to horrendous online abuse since Saturday’s collision.” https://t.co/hrsqFxYjZ6
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) March 5, 2025
The Football Association put out a statement on Wednesday, saying they have submitted a claim to increase Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts’ sanction.
They said: “The FA has submitted a claim seeking to increase Liam Roberts’ sanction following his sending off in the FA Cup tie between Millwall and Crystal Palace on Saturday, 1 March.
“The goalkeeper was sent off for serious foul play around the 6th minute.
“The FA claims that in the circumstances the standard punishment for this offence is clearly insufficient.
“Liam Roberts has until Thursday, 6 March, to provide a response.”
Roberts had been sent off after charging out of his goal and kicked Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in the head as attempted to clear the ball.
A statement from the Championship club says: “Millwall acknowledges the FA’s statement and will continue to support Liam who has been subjected to horrendous online abuse since Saturday’s collision.”
Millwall also issued a statement taking aim at some of the media coverage of the incident while also criticised the abuse received on social media by Roberts following the challenge.
They haven’t made a statement regarding some fans chanting “let him die” towards Jean-Philippe Mateta as he received treatment on the pitch at Selhurst Park.
Fans reacted as Millwall responds to the FA’s plan to increase Liam Roberts’ ban for a high challenge on Mateta…
@GeorgeMorey93: The very same FA who didn’t extend Martin Taylor’s ban when his tackle broke Eduardo’s leg & practically ruined his career because “there was no suggestion of intent” … becoming an absolute joke now. No one likes us, we don’t care etc etc… #Millwall
@FredJM1995: Football really is in the mud isn’t it, is this going to be the norm when players are sent off now? Just to appease the people that don’t understand that football is a contact sport. Embarrassing from the FA.
@SPJ91: Ah, the good old FA dragging this out even longer now. It’s a foul, it’s a red card, it’s a 3 match ban… move on now 🤦🏻♂️ #Millwall
@dubbsie17: So where was the request to extend the ban on Sadio Mane’s challenge on Ederson?? Or the one on Millwall’s Charlie Cresswell last season??? Both EXACTLY the same, both dangerous play. Didn’t see the same outcry for those challenges??
@BalmforthAndy: This is bias purely because it’s @MillwallFC, yet again the @FootballAssoc proving they’re not fit to govern with their double standards, and I say this as a neutral fan.
@ReeceDSport: So unnecessary. He misjudged a through ball and got a red for it. Thats the punishment
@OmerMFC: You just know if Roberts had come out by now virtue signalling then it wouldn’t get to this point. The fella clearly didn’t mean to put him in hospital, made a mistake, lives with affecting the game and its outcome and yet the football world just wants to press on in this manner.
@spjward: Of course they have. Was reckless yes, but no worse than Mane on Edison or Oscar Estupinan on Charlie Cresswell, both given 3 games. Roberts wins the ball 1st, the follow through was bad but clearly no intent to hurt the player.
@KieranMoss16: Nah I’m done with football. Turning into the biggest load of woke shit. It was a bad tackle, it was a red card but because it’s #Millwall , let’s drag this on and on. Daily Mail can get fucked too 👍
@edgey_1:
For winning the ball
The game is gone
@jimb0_12: All the talk around this game / challenge has gone very soft I’m afraid. It was a bad tackle but not sure we need all this hand-wringing about it. He got a red and Mateta is fine, just give him his 3 games and move on
@ConnorMOT92: Really don’t get the reaction to this tbh when it was a clear red card.
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