Liam Roberts may not have sprinted out of his box with the intention of claiming Jean-Philippe Mateta’s head as well as the ball but, in truth, motive does not really matter. Millwall’s goalkeeper put himself in a position to cause serious harm and he did so.
It was a challenge so reckless, it left Crystal Palace’s striker requiring 25 stitches and reading the evening menu of London’s St George’s Hospital.
Mateta has since been discharged and, though he is likely to miss several matches — starting with the visit of Ipswich on Saturday — it could have been much worse.