Crystal Palace captain Luka Milivojevic: My sending off was a harsh call – I can’t make my leg disappear after making a tackle

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Luka Milivojevic has described his suspension as “frustrating” – the Crystal Palace midfielder arguing again that he did nothing to merit being dismissed against Wolves.

The Serbian international was sent off at Molineux after a challenge on Joao Moutinho – referee Martin Atkinson deciding it was a red card offence after watching it back on a pitchside monitor.

The official had allowed play to continue before a retrospective VAR review.

“It is a decision that I, the team and the manager feel was a harsh call from the referee when we watched back in the dressing room,” Milivojevic wrote in his column in Saturday’s matchday programme.

“I can’t tackle someone and then pull my leg out the way or make my leg disappear. I won the ball and never have any desire to purposely injury an opponent. Football is a contact sport.

“But these decisions happen. It is just frustrating when you add that to the VAR decisions that continually went against us – some rightly of course, but that doesn’t make them any less frustrating.”

The 29-year-old had started only two of the opening seven matches for the Eagles.

Milivojevic had totted up 48 minutes of Premier League football before coming into Roy Hodgson’s team for the 2-1 derby victory at Fulham.

Milivojevic sat out the 4-1 win over Leeds on Saturday and will not play again this month as he completes his ban by missing the trip to Burnley on November 21 and then the home fixture against Newcastle United seven days later.

“It disappoints me because I always want to be available to help the team,” said Milivojevic. “After my 90 minutes against Fulham I felt back to full match fitness and was enjoying starting football matches again for this club.”

PHOTO: KEITH GILLARD