Keane, Wright slam ‘pathetic’ call which helped Man City to win over Bournemouth

Ian Wright and Roy Keane weren’t impressed by a “pathetic” decision which cost Bournemouth in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final.

Evanilson gave the hosts the lead after Erling Haaland had missed a hat-trick of very good opportunities, including one from the penalty spot which was well saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

But Haaland did get his goal after the break, sliding the ball in at the far post after a stunning cross from substitute Nico O’Reilly, before the City academy graduate laid on a second similarly brilliant but very different assist for Omar Marmoush.

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O’Reilly played a no-look pass with the outside of his left boot which left the Bournemouth defenders with no option but to watch as Marmoush slid the ball under Kepa, who should probably have done better.

City’s win means they’re through to the FA Cup semi-final for the seventh year on the bounce. They will meet Nottingham Forest at Wembley, while Aston Villa take on Crystal Palace.

But ahead of the game, Wright and Keane spoke out on Bournemouth’s misfortune at Milos Kerkez – whose starring role for the Cherries this season has seen him heavily linked with Liverpool – being suspended for the game after his clash with Matheus Cunha in the previous round.

Cunha was shown a red carded, handed a four-match ban and fined £50,000 after kicking out at Kerkez and headbutting him, while Kerkez was shown a yellow for his part in the incident.

The left-back was also booked in the fourth-round win over Everton, so was suspended for the game against City as Andoni Iraola handed 20-year-old Julio Soler his second start for the club.

“Wow, that is tough,” Wright told ITV after seeing a replay of the clash. “All he’s trying to do is get the ball.”

Keane then added: “To get punished… obviously the punishment comes today in missing such a big game. It’s a hard one to take, definitely and it’ll be a huge loss.”

Wright continued: “Pathetic for him to be suspended for that. They should be able to look at that and see it’s not something he should be suspended for. Why wouldn’t they do that? It’s blatantly obvious to see.”

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Iraola was also fuming with the decision, admitting he was “very disappointed” with the referee.

“The consequences for Cunha is okay, they are out of the cup,” Iraola said.

“But the consequences, for example, for Milos Kerkez, he has, I think they told me after the game, he has received a yellow card because, I’ve written it down, ‘adopting an aggressive attitude’. Yellow card.

“After what they have done to Milos Kerkez, they should reward him because the attitude he has had. They punch him, they kick him on the floor, they headbutt him and he doesn’t react.

“You punish this. But I will have to say to Milos, probably as a player, I cannot react as well as he did. Definitely I’m not reacting as well as he did.

“And the prize is they show him a yellow card and he will not play the quarterfinals in, I don’t know, if it’s the most important game of the season for us, but definitely one of the most important ones.

“So, yes, I’m very disappointed with the refereeing. Very disappointed, yes.”