Watford defender Marvin Zeegelaar will unfortunately be sidelined for their upcoming three fixtures after the Football Association declined to overturn his red card issued during the Burnley clash.
Zeegelaar was shown a red card for a two-footed challenge on Steven Defour in the 39th minute at Turf Moor, at a time when the score was still locked at 0-0.
Burnley capitalised on the numerical advantage, with Scott Arfield netting the decisive goal right before half-time, sealing a 1-0 victory.
Watford’s head coach Marco Silva openly criticised referee Lee Probert after the match, stating he believed the sending off was a harsh and incorrect call.
“The match had fierce competition, but one decision made by the referee had a massive impact. I felt it was a harsh red card,” Silva commented.
“It wasn’t a red, and that changed the game completely. Shortly after, they scored. The referee seemed to lose control of the game after that moment.”
“Mistakes happen – referees, players, and coaches can all err – but this was a significant mistake that influenced the outcome hugely.”
At 27 years old, Zeegelaar will now miss the fixtures against Crystal Palace, Huddersfield, and Brighton due to this enforced ban, following the club’s unsuccessful appeal.
