'He needs a long hard look at himself' - Parish fumes at Mateta injury

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said Liam Roberts' collision with Jean-Philippe Mateta in their FA Cup clash was the "most reckless challenge" he had ever witnessed. 

With just eight minutes gone at Selhurst Park, Millwall goalkeeper Roberts was shown a red card following a VAR review for a wildly reckless challenge on Mateta, who was subsequently taken to hospital.

Roberts rushed outside the 18-yard box and leaped to clear a long ball, but his high left-footed follow-through struck Mateta in the side of the face.

The Palace striker remained on the ground for several minutes and needed lengthy medical treatment, before he was carried off the field toward an ambulance.

Parish confirmed at half-time that Mateta had sustained a gash behind his ear and was at a local hospital receiving further treatment for the injury. 

But the Eagles chairman could not hide his anger at the challenge from Roberts, which he felt was similar to the notorious one inflicted by West Germany goalkeeper Harald Schumacher on France's Patrick Battiston during the 1982 World Cup semi-final.

"They're professionals, and they have to treat each other like professionals and have a duty of care for your fellow professionals," Parish told BBC Sport at half-time. 

"That keeper has not had one [duty of care]. Credit to the players for carrying on, and it is difficult for me to think about anything else with JP [Mateta] in hospital.

"In all the time I've watched football, someone mentioned there was one like it in the World Cup in 1982. Why the referee needed to go to the screen, I have no idea.

"He's a human being, forget he's a football player - it is not a normal challenge. We want to progress [in the FA Cup], but it is difficult for me to look past that challenge."

Mateta's potential absence could be a significant setback for Palace, with the forward netting four times in his last four Premier League outings, bringing his season tally to 12 goals.