Watford vs Arsenal: Troy Deeney’s ‘cojones’ comments played a part in red card, believes Gary Neville

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Gary Neville believes Watford captain Troy Deeney has made a rod for his own back by previously questioning Arsenal’s “cojones” following his early red card in the 1-0 defeat by the Gunners.

The Watford striker was given his marching orders in just the 11th minute of the Vicarage Road clash after referee Craig Pawson issued a straight red card for an elbow on Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira, following advice from assistant referee Richard West.

Deeney was furious with the decision and appeared to mutter “f****** embarrassment” as he left the field, removing his shirt and throwing his captain’s armband at a teammate in anger before engaging in an argument with Arsenal boss Unai Emery while gesticulating at Torreira.

It was all to the amusement of the travelling Arsenal fans, who have not forgotten Deeney’s comments following Watford’s victory over the same opposition in October 2017. “There's a reason why they lost and it wasn't because of one penalty,” Deeney said last season. “I'll have to watch what I say. It's (having) a bit of cojones, a bit of nuts. Whenever I play Arsenal, I'll go up and think, ‘Let me whack the first one and see who wants it’.”

He acknowledged himself that the public comments – said on Sky Sports – may come back to haunt him in the future, but insisted that he had no regrets for questioning Arsenal’s desire. “Hindsight's a wonderful thing, and I might have been better off just saving it for the boozer afterwards, but I don't ever regret it,” he was quoted as saying in Tales From The Vicarage Volume 7: Captains.

That is exactly what has happened, leading to Sky analyst Neville believing that those comments will have been in Pawson’s mind when he was told about the elbow by West, resulting in a straight red card.

“The linesman has got a great view of it,” Neville said on Sky Sports. “I think 15 years ago, he’s not done a lot wrong. Now, he’s got nowhere to go.

“These referees, they’re aware of previous statements and players being fired up for a game. Deeney just oversteps the line.”

Watford now face being without Deeney for three of their final five Premier League matches, beginning with relegated Huddersfield on Saturday, before games against Southampton next Tuesday and Wolves the following week. Watford can appeal the decision in the hope of overturning the ban, but regardless Deeney will return in time for the FA Cup final against Manchester City next month.

Watford manager Javi Gracia was bemused by the decision though, questioning whether the challenge was worthy of a red card.

“I don’t agree, but I respect the referee’s decision,” Gracia said. “It is maybe a yellow card, but red card? I don’t understand why the referee did it. I prefer not to speak only about that. He (Deeney) hasn’t got to explain anything to me, I could see the play and I could see the contact with his arm but never with his elbow.

“What can I say? I don’t understand the decision but we respect it. We tried to look for the resolution. There is a contact but it is not with his elbow, it is with his arm or hand, I don’t know which part exactly. I never saw an aggressive movement. I don’t understand why the referee took that decision.”