West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus is anxiously awaiting the Football Association’s decision regarding his red card received during the match against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Ghanaian international was sent off for a moment of chaos that resulted in three Spurs players being taken down. The incident began when Kudus kicked the ball at Tottenham defender Mickey van de Ven while he was on the ground. Van de Ven quickly retaliated, pushing Kudus and calling him “crazy.” Kudus responded with a shove that inadvertently caught Van de Ven in the face, sending him sprawling.
As the situation escalated, Kudus was then pushed into Richarlison by Pape Matar Sarr, causing the Brazilian to hit the ground as well. Initially, the referee issued yellow cards to both Kudus and Van de Ven, but after a VAR review, Kudus was shown a red card and sent off.
The aftermath of the incident saw Kudus miss West Ham’s victory over Manchester United and face a suspension for the upcoming Premier League matches against Nottingham Forest and Everton before the November international break.
There is concern that the consequences could worsen for the talented forward. Former referee Mike Dean suggested that Kudus could receive a six-game ban for his actions, particularly for the separate incident involving Sarr. The FA has since charged Kudus, prompting an appeal from West Ham.
A club spokesperson indicated that they expect the ban to be increased, stating, “It will increase, I’m sure. I know the way the Football Association works.” If the FA views the shove on Sarr as a separate offense, Kudus could face an additional three-game suspension, which would keep him out of matches against Newcastle, Arsenal, and Leicester.
This would mean Kudus wouldn’t return to action until a home match against Wolves on December 9th. West Ham is presenting evidence to support their case for mitigation, arguing that Kudus was provoked by Spurs players surrounding him and by comments made during the altercation.
While awaiting the FA’s announcement, Kudus will still be eligible to represent Ghana in their upcoming African Nations qualifiers against Angola and Niger, despite the team’s inability to qualify for the tournament. This situation has led to Kudus issuing an apology following the October international matches, expressing regret over his actions.
