Premier League winners and losers: Lethal Liverpool, Hammers get hammered

Loser: Miguel Britos

Watford have started the season in promising fashion, taking a point off of Liverpool on opening day then beating Bournemouth 2-0 the following week. They were primed to gain another three points at home this week against a dismal Brighton team that still hasn’t scored a goal this season. That was until Miguel Britos decided to dive in at Anthony Knockaert in the 24th minute.

Britos has had a knack for picking up red cards at Vicarage Road, so it wasn’t entirely surprising to see him add another to his collection. This was no ordinary red card, however.

Knockaert was running down the wing with intensity, but no real threat to goal, when Britos made the worst challenge of the season. The defender went airborne while delivering the two-footed unnecessary, late, above the shin, studs-up tackle. That kind of challenge can seriously injure a player and can ruin an entire career at worst. Knockaert was lucky to walk it off, and stayed in the game until the 81st minute when he was substituted.

Britos didn’t hang his head in shame or apologize to Knockaert though. Instead, he put on an Oscar worthy shocked face after the referee rightfully pulled the red card out of his pocket and argued with him before walking away. He wasn’t done after that, either. Britos began jawing with other Brighton players the entire walk to and down the tunnel. The whole thing was shameful.

Britos will likely receive a harsher suspension than the normal three-match ban, and he deserves every bit of it. Tackles like that have no place in any sport.