Yes, it was a shocking challenge and Martin Taylor probably deserved to be banned for much longer than three matches for his foul on Eduardo a handful of weeks ago. However, the crime has been committed, the punishment has been issued and there’s no need for Cesc Fabregas to start raking the matter up again – what’s he trying to achieve? Sky Sports report that the Spaniard continues to feel a burning sense of injustice regarding the token three-match ban issued to the Birmingham defender when he should really concentrate on doing what’s he’s paid for.
“Of course I blame him,” he stated. “He did it and he knows why he did it.
“Of course he is not going to say he did it on purpose, he will never say that.
“But a very good player is injured for a year and the player who committed the tackle is suspended for three little games. It is very, very unfair.”
While nobody can argue that Taylor’s challenge was nothing short of disgraceful, there have been many similar challenges in the Premier League this season – it’s just that the consequences have not been as devastating. It’s also fair to say that had this happened to a smaller club rather than Arsenal, we’d be hearing a lot less about it in the media.