Tony Watt is adamant that he shouldn’t have been red carded by VAR and Dundee United boss Liam Fox is hoping that an appeal will back him up.
The United star was left frustrated as a VAR intervention saw him shown a straight red for a late challenge on Sean Goss in the 1-0 weekend defeat to Motherwell. Referee John Beaton hadn’t even given a foul but then decided to go to his top pocket after taking a second opinion.
Watt was left gutted after the game and apologised to his teammates for leaving them short but is adamant he shouldn’t have been sent off. United have appealed that decision and a disciplinary hearing will review the case on Wednesday. Fox said: “Tony is adamant it shouldn’t have been a red card. He was absolutely devastated with the decision and the fact that we had ended up losing the game.
“In fairness, Tony apologised to his teammates after the game because he felt he had let them down, leaving them with 10 men for the second half, but he was adamant that it shouldn’t have been a red card.”
Fox admitted at the weekend that he could see why referee Beaton made the decision with the footage he was shown but United have now seen other images and angles where it isn’t such a clear-cut call. The United chief added: “As I said after the game on Saturday, I can see, with the footage the referee has seen on the VAR monitor, why he has shown a red card.
“I have also seen lots of other angles and photographs that would show it is not a red card. We just feel there is a case to be answered here and that is why we have appealed.
“Did the referee see every possible angle that was available to him? “The appeal is on Wednesday and we will see what answers we get. We will deal with whatever comes off the back of it.”
As it stands, Watt will be unavailable for the weekend’s trip to his former club, Celtic, unless his appeal is successful. Fox is hoping that will be the case because he knows he will need all his best players and at the peak of their form if they are to take anything from Parkhead.
United lost 9-0 to the Hoops at Tannadice earlier in the season and their players will be determined to put on a very different performance. Fox was hearted by the gutsy display his side put on against Motherwell in the second period with just 10 men.
United may have stopped leaking as many goals but the fight for the No. 1 spot remains up for grabs. Australian cap Mark Birighitti started the season and then lost his place through injury, as the team and the new arrival struggled for form.
Finnish international Carljohan Eriksson then got the nod but Birighitti returned for the weekend - although question marks hung over whether he should have done better for Motherwell’s winner.
Eriksson came in as the Swedish goalkeeper of the year while Birighitti was named the No.1 in the A-League for the last two years. Fox is now looking for one of them to step up and get back to those sort of levels. Fox acknowledged: “They are both honest lads and they would both admit they haven’t hit the heights they have before they came to Dundee United.
“They’ve both been involved in difficult spells and been involved in difficult moments. What I am really looking for is for someone to take the mantle, claim the No. 1 jersey and make it their own.
“That is what I am looking for. They are both very good goalkeepers and as a team we need to do more to protect them but there are also times when they need to do slightly better as well.
“There is no hiding place from that. We and the boys are aware of that and it is up to them to fight it for the No. 1 jersey.”
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